By T. Avineshwaran and Subash Elangovan
Imagine listening to the chants and prayers in Nou Camp, Westfalenstadion and The Emirates – We would gladly stay at one of these places for a lifetime. Sorry amma and appa (Mother and Father in Tamil), football is a religion too.
We called the trip a Yatra. Yatra means a procession or pilgrimage, especially one with a religious purpose.
Our minds we clear, we heard chants in various temples, and we came back to Malaysia wanting more.
Imagine listening to the chants and prayers in Nou Camp, Westfalenstadion and The Emirates – We would gladly stay at one of these places for a lifetime. Sorry Amma and Appa (Mother and Father in Tamil), football is a religion too.
We went to Italy, Germany, Spain, France, England and Netherlands to check out 16 stadiums of top European teams and let us tell you all that we would do it again if we have the time and money.
Some of you might be wondering how we did it. Here we have listed our experiences in each country. This is part one of our Footy Yatra.
The land of Del Pieros, Maldinis and Baresis
THERE is something about Milan that captivates you. From their gothic like Basilicas to signature fashion brands, it is a city that has class and style just like their clubs.
But it is odd to see two stern rivals, Inter Milan (Better known as Internazionale in Italy) and AC Milan share a stadium but they have been doing it for many years.
As we walked in the dressing rooms of both teams in the stadium, it did not look as sophisticated as other European sides but to know that the likes of Paulo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Ronaldo and Javier Zanetti used to be in these rooms, it was indeed an honour.
San Siro is a beauty. The moment we got down of the San Siro Metro station and went up to the bus stop, we saw the majestic looking stadium.
The stadium, which was built in 1925, is one of the oldest and biggest stadiums in the country. A project initiated by former AC Milan president Piero Pirelli, the stadium was officially opened with a friendly between AC Milan and Inter.
It's one of the Meccas of world football because this stadium has hosted many world-class matches including The World Cup and Euros and it is historic to many Italians, especially for the Milan folks.
We were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Inter Milan's preparation before their Europa League tie against Israel club side Hapoel Beer Sheva. There was no stadium tour, but we were allowed to check out the pitch and the dressing room one day before the match.
As we walked in the dressing rooms of both teams in the stadium, it did not look as sophisticated as other European sides but to know that the likes of Paulo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Ronaldo and Javier Zanetti used to be in these rooms, it was indeed an honour.
As we bid goodbye to Milan, we were off to Turin to check Juventus’s new stadium called ‘The Stadium’… Yes, you heard us, ‘The Stadium’.
From the Turin City centre to The Stadium, it takes about 30 minutes if you take the city bus, bus no 63 to be precise, from Porto Nueva station.
Turin is nothing but beautiful. The former capital city of Italy is known for its classic coffee shops, baroque architecture and friendly people. It's much more civilised than Milan, and wherever you go, you will be in awe of the historic buildings and their people too.
Italian film director Mario Soldati once said, “Juventus were the team of gentlemen, industrial pioneers, Jesuits, conservatives and the wealthy bourgeois.”
We got down at ‘The Stadium’, and for a moment we got fooled because there was a hypermarket. When we asked a local where is the stadium, he laughed and said, "Go to Hypermarket, and you will see The Stadium of champions."
Italian film director Mario Soldati once said, “Juventus were the team of gentlemen, industrial pioneers, Jesuits, conservatives and the wealthy bourgeois.”
They are more than that now. In its 120 years history, La Vecchia Signora (The Old Lady), the club has won 32 Serie A titles and 11 Coppa Italias. Suffice to say; they are the best club in Italy’s history.
In the past, they used to play in the Delle Alpi, but since 2011, they have been playing in their stadium. We have got to say; they have learnt from their 2006 'Calciopoli' scandal.
The stadium tour was professional, and the people behind the scenes are passionate about the club.
The Stadium, which can seat more than 41,000 people, is one of the most beautiful stadiums in the country. It does not match San Siro’s size, but when it comes to facilities and fans atmosphere, it can rival any top stadiums in the world.
As we bid arrivederci to Turin, we said Guten Tag to Munich.
Don’t mess with the machines
The moment we reached Munich, we wanted to see the Allianz Arena immediately. The journey from Corso Vittorio Emmanuelle, Turin to Munich Central Bus Station was more than eight hours, and for any traveller, it is energy sapping.
As we snapped pictures of the stadium, we were looking forward to the stadium tour but sadly, that day 1860 Munchen, another team sharing the stadium with Bayern Munchen, were set to play Union Berlin in the 2. Bundesliga.
The moment we got to the station, all that tiredness just flew away. The thought of Allianz Arena was tempting, and from the central station metro, we took the train to Frottmaning. The journey was less than 15 minutes, and once we reached Frottmaning, we walked from the station to the stadium.
It took us 15 minutes to walk to the stadium, and it was a sight to behold. It was early in the morning, the sky was bright, and the breeze was cold, we could only say, ‘Munich, du schone’ (Munich, you beauty).
As we snapped pictures of the stadium, we were looking forward to the stadium tour but sadly, that day 1860 Munchen, another team sharing the stadium with Bayern Munchen, were set to play Union Berlin in the 2. Bundesliga.
We could not tour Allianz, but we were lucky in Dortmund. Before the trip, we were trying to get tickets for the Borussia Dortmund vs SV Darmstadt match, but we thought we could not get them because only members of Borussia were allowed to get the tickets.
However, one day before our flight, ticket sales were open to the public, and we were fortunate to get two tickets to the match. As we reached Dortmund Hauptbahnhof from Munich Central Station, we saw the National Football Museum or better known as DFB Museum.
For 12 Euros, we got to see the various achievements achieved by the national football team and one particular highlight was their World Cup exhibits and to Brazilians, you will surely hate this place (Remember the 7-1 drubbing in the 2014 World Cup semi-final?)
The museum itself was excellent with the exhibits in both German and English. One floor was dedicated to the German national team, another to the club game and its star players over the years.
Once we were done there, we headed to the Westfalenstadion and let me be honest you, it was beautiful, but when you get into the stadium, you will realise why it is called the Temple by many football fans.
The whole match experience was brilliant, and we realised why Germany are pioneers when it comes to football. Even if the team is at its lowest ebb, the fans will always back them, and to our knowledge, most matches in Germany are full house.
We had goosebumps when the fans sang ‘You’ll never walk alone’ and when the match started, the whole stadium was rocking. Even a four-year-old kid could join the Yellow Wall and chant anthems for his beloved team.
We were fortunate because we watched a virtuoso Borussia Dortmund that evening. The best part, they did play most of their first team players. Ousmane Dembele, Raphael Guerreiro, Julian Weigl, Christian Pulisic and Gonzalo Castro were relentless as they help Borussia defeat a sorry Darmstadt 6-0.
The whole match experience was brilliant, and we realised why Germany are pioneers when it comes to football. Even if the team is at its lowest ebb, the fans will always back them, and to our knowledge, most matches in Germany are full house.
This particular match, even though it is against a struggling Bundesliga side, the whole stadium was filled, and the atmosphere was electric.
After the game, we told ourselves, we will surely come back to watch another match, and it will be the ‘Der Klassiker’ at the Westfalenstadion. To all football fans, watching a Dortmund match must be in your bucket list because you will surely love it.
After Germany, we were looking forward to the warmth and beauty of Madrid.
Bless the Spaniards for Tiki-Taka
From Dusseldorf Airport, we head to Madrid Barajas to start our Spain chapter and during our flight; we met a German chap who only had good things to say about the country.
He spoke about Wines, Tapas and Matadors but in our head, it was just Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. As we told him we are on a football tour, he said he has never heard anyone doing such a thing and was impressed to know that Malaysians are into European football.
As we headed from Barajas to the city centre by bus, we were planning our day, but we decided to only tour Santiago Bernabeu and Vicente Calderon on the second day.
To know more about the club, we watched a video montage of the team, and it was an unforgettable experience. We were just into it and felt like a Madrista for a moment.
The first stop was Santiago Bernabeu and boy it was a beauty. Many have called this club money bags, but once you step into the stadium, you will surely get goosebumps.
For 18 Euros, you get to see the team's dressing room trophy showcase, museum, field, dugout and VIP lounge. The 11-time European champions are known for their star-studded players and passionate fan base.
To know more about the club, we watched a video montage of the team, and it was an unforgettable experience. We were just into it and felt like a Madrista for a moment.
The stadium is also one of the biggest football stadiums in Europe, and it can seat more than 81,000 people. When you have the likes of Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric, you will surely see a bumper crowd every match.
We were there for almost two hours, and we were beginning to wonder how the match atmosphere would be. We left Santiago Bernabeu and were off to Real’s city rivals Atletico Madrid stadium, Vicente Calderon, and we were quite impressed even though it was smaller than Santiago Bernabeu.
Along the way, we saw a quote that says, No dejes para manana lo que puedas hacer hoy. (Don’t wait for tomorrow to do something you can do today). Atletico’s leaders are positively thinking far ahead, and I am sure the fans will accept the move in the years to come.
The stadium was initially called the Manzanares Stadium, but this was later changed to the Vicente Calderón Stadium, after the famous Atlético club president. The stadium is located in the heart of Madrid, on the banks of the Manzanares.
We paid 16 Euros to check out the stadium and to be honest, it looked modest, but the people in Manzanares area will love this club. Even the tour guide was gushing about the club, and it will only grow bigger in the years to come, she said.
It has a capacity for 54,907. It was our last time seeing this stadium because it was demolished and the team relocated to La Peineta, located near the Barajas airport.
Fans are not happy with the relocation and groups like Save the Calderon Group, and the Atlético Supporters Club pressed hard for the club to keep the stadium. The team were playing in Vicentre Calderon since 1966.
Along the way, we saw a quote that says, 'No dejes para manana lo que puedas hacer hoy' (Don’t wait for tomorrow to do something you can do today). Atletico’s leaders are positively thinking far ahead, and I am sure the fans will accept the move in the years to come.
After Madrid, we went to Barcelona, and this time, we are going to watch our second game of the European tour. Before the game, we wanted to check out their stadium and history.
Estadio Camp Nou is FC Barcelona's home and also known as one of the 'Meccas' of world football. It has been the home of FC Barcelona since its completion in 1957. With a seating capacity of 99,354, it is the largest stadium in Spain by capacity.
We do not need to tell about this club’s reputation. Tiki-taka, Total Football, the greatest ever player to grace their field and a player who made the world smile with his football – Barcelona is an institution to many football fans around the world.
But to get the whole experience, we wanted to watch a match and to get tickets; we had to be quick because tickets were selling fast. Barcelona was going to face Atletico Madrid, and it is one of the biggest matches in the Spanish football calendar.
We do not need to tell about this club’s reputation. Tiki-taka, Total Football, the greatest ever player to grace their field and a player who made the world smile with his football – Barcelona is an institution to many football fans around the world.
On Sept 21, Barcelona was held by Atletico Madrid 1-1 at the Camp Nou. More than 80,000 spectators were at the stadium.
The match was a little cagey, but one man stood, and it was Antoine Griezmann. He was the reason why Atletico started strongly in the second half, and he silenced the boos with his performance. For Barcelona, they lost two points and also Lionel Messi, who hurt his groin.
The atmosphere was terrific, and we were lucky enough to catch two of the best sides in Spain in one of the most iconic stadiums in the world.
From Barcelona, we took a flight to Paris Orly Airport for a day trip to Paris.
(Part two of the Footy Yatra would be published on 8 September 2018)