Ismael Saibari chooses number 34 at Bayern Munich to honor Abdelhak Nouri

Bayern Munich midfielder Ismael Saibari has revealed that he chose the number 34 jersey as a direct tribute to former Ajax player Abdelhak Nouri. Saibari, who joined the Bundesliga club from PSV Eindhoven this summer, developed a close relationship with Nouri and his family following the midfielder’s collapse during a preseason match in 2017. Despite not knowing Nouri prior to the medical incident, Saibari has since become a frequent visitor to the family and credited his agent for facilitating the initial connection. Nouri remains unable to speak and communicates using his eyebrows, but Saibari noted that his friend expressed visible joy regarding the move to Germany. The player decided to leave the final choice of his squad number to Nouri, who selected 34 as a reminder of his own time at Ajax.

• 8:30 AMYahoo Sports — Bayern Munich’s Ismael Saibari reveals why Abdelhak Nouri chose his Number 34