Sparta Prague 3-0 Zlin, Sunday 9th August 2015

Sparta Prague 3-0 Zlin (att. 7,960)

Welcome to ......

I knew KO was 7:15pm but I rather hoped that was GMT. Besides, I’m sure I saw Slavia at 8:15 last year, for television. I stayed in bed too long (I was exhausted and blister-ridden) and then I went to find my favourite Prague restaurant (Lokal), couldn’t find it, so had a beer before coming out of the bar and seeing Lokal opposite. But I wasn’t going to rush my food – besides, a young Sparta fan was there with his dad. But they left.

A policewoman parks her horse...under the stand.

I then got lost trying to find the subway station (they don’t make ‘em stand out; I found another only cos I HEARD the trains) and by the time I did, I got to the Letna for half time. Fine, I’m still going in – CHK 170 (£4).

The stadium was fairly sparse (spartan?). I was in behind the goal but I got the impression you could sit upper or lower tier. I went upstairs and perched myself at the back, slap bang in the middle. Superb view. Meantime, the ultras were to my right, behind fences and netting.

The ultras, caged in.

Sparta’s new stadium has some character. The main stand is a separate structure from the continuous two-tiered effort which enveloped the rest. Also, a corner was slightly chopped (a la Kenilworth Road – without viewing obstructions in this case though). However, there is a bizarre cover at the back of the home end which juts out from the concourse and just looks cheap.

The chopped corner.

The design is all wrong. How do the ultras only get 1/3 of an upper tier? At Slavia it’s an entire END. At these mid-size stadia, the designers need to get one thing right; the home end needs to be a single tier to give those passionate enough to make some noise a decent base. As it was, the Sparta hardcore kept up a decent noise (with cheerleader and drum) but the way they’re fenced in makes them somehow APART from everyone else. Oh, and why is the main club shop some pokey little L-shaped number? Again, if you want to see how it’s done, go see Slavia.

The Main Stand

Tonight, it was 2-0 by half time. Game over. Who are Zlin anyway? Where is Zlin? It was virtual one-way traffic. Sparta could’ve had half a dozen in the second half, but settled for one, the left winger coming in at the back post to hit it across the keeper from an acute angle. Well, that was how it looked. Replays however showed it was a brilliant low cross which the Zlin captain knocked into his own net. 

As it finished.

Then I went ‘home’. No rush, a stroll through Park Letna, walk down the hill, cross the river and before you know it you’re back in the old town. But in terms of enjoyment, if you’re going to a game in Prague, go to Slavia (for the passion), Dukla (for the stadium) and Zizkov (for the whole caboodle). I’ve yet to visit Bohemians.

The Damage:
CHK 170 ent
CHK 25 prog
= CHK 195 (£5)

Back of the Main Stand.

Problies looks taller than it is.

Up the steps to the 'Generali Arena'

With the concourse open, they felt the need for some bus shelter-type thing.

To my right...

Match action.

Looking towards the away end.

Ahhh, I get it - it's a SPARTAN!

Stadion Letna (under the stand).

The Main Event.  KO 19:15.

Simple, but I really like this.