Harry Kane & Co. made to wait! Why kick-off in Bayern Munich's Champions League clash against Benfica was delayed - explained

The match was slated to kick off at 8:00 p.m. but it was pushed to 8:15 p.m. The cause of the delay stemmed from a malfunction in a signal box on the city’s subway system, affecting trains heading toward Frottmaning, the nearest station to Allianz Arena.

According to The Sun, the situation led to an evacuation of one metro station, with social media users posting footage of the chaotic scenes. Amid the disorder, Benfica fans heightened tensions further by setting off pyrotechnics and reportedly hurling them in the direction of an incoming train, adding to the commotion within the station.

A statement on X read: "Due to a signal box malfunction, there are currently delays in the subway traffic towards the stadium/Fröttmaning. Stadium visitors are therefore asked to use other means of transport if possible."

Soon the club added: "Due to the difficulty of many visitors getting to the stadium, kick-off will be delayed by 15 minutes. The signal box malfunction has now been resolved."

For Bayern, the stakes were high as they faced Benfica. The team, led by manager Vincent Kompany, came into the match under significant pressure following back-to-back losses to Aston Villa and Barcelona. They were in the 28th position in the standings among 36 teams and are desperate for points to revive their European campaign.