Ferencvaros 1-1 Partizan Tirana, Wednesday 20th July 2016

Ferencvaros 1-1 Partizan Tirana, att. 8,752 (European Champions League 2nd Round, 2nd Leg, agg. 2-2, 1-3 on penalties)

Welcome to....

Here’s a ruse. Tell anyone that if they’re not a member they can only buy VIP tickets - at 10000 forints. Given the cheapest ticket in the home and was 1500 that's nearly seven times the price. So having queued for nearly half an hour I had a choice: pay nearly 30 quid or go to a bar and watch it. Obscenely, I chose the former. I’ll not be here again soon, though it’s an easy journey, getting the metro to Nepliget (from memory). The stadium is right there, in front of you.

It's not a bad looking stadium, the steel struts wrapped in mesh, but it's a bit samey.  You've seen one, you've seen them all. Inside's the same.  The only thing that distinguishes it from anywhere else is that today we have GREEN seats.  Still, everyone gets a nice view and cover.

The Ferenc Eagle soars

What did I get for my VIP dollar? Well not an assigned seat, that’s for sure. I entered VIP sektor 5; basically, lower tier, by the touchline, near the corner. About as un-VIP as you can get. I came out the gangway and looked up; there were a few seats higher up, amongst some folk in red. Seems I was sat with the non-ultra away contingent. Still that might add some spice. Turned out I was sat behind SHOUTY BLOKE, who everyone else seemed to know, yet who everyone else chose not to sit next to. Funny that.

Nicely spread out, yet bunched together...

If I’d ‘gone large’ (paid 12,000 forints) I was offered unlimited food and drink, but I felt I’d given them enough. Charlie? A bevvy of beautiful dancing girls? No I settled for a non-assigned seat and a small concourse lit in green to reflect Ferenc’s colours. A nice touch? In the murky light under the stand it just made the area look seedy.
The VIP sektor was though home to a number of very pretty, very well dressed women. WAGs? Or just out for a good time? With the tie poised at one-all after the 1st leg, it was all to play for. Both sides had had a few chances before Ferenc made it to the box and a defender just about got his studs to the ball before the lumbering centre forward fell over his leg. Penalty. A bit harsh, but the ref was behind play and needed the linesman’s view. Linesman don't give views, or have them.
The penalty despatched, I was expecting Ferenc to take control. They must be s*** hot favourites now. Yet the major chance fell Partizan’s way, the centre forward lifting the ball over the keeper and wide. He needn’t have worried; a Partizan cross from the right was comedically sliced in from around 15 yards by the centre half. It was the kind of finish you couldn’t achieve in 100 times of trying, as he went to lace it with his left and instead curled it high into the right corner. The keeper stood no chance.

Partizan 'style'.

One-all, identical to the 1st leg score. Half time and I went for a wander. There was food and drink to be had but they still weren’t getting any more of my money. Besides, I couldn’t gain access to the rest of the stadium’s concourse. I went and sat back down.
The match probably finished around the hour mark. Three Albanians had gone down for treatment within 5 minutes and the home crowd was tetchy. The Albanians were slowly sucking Ferenc dry; home hearts sunk and there was barely another attack. Still, the Magyars missed 2 howlers, including a straight header which flew wide when easier to score. Partizan were happy to play for penalties and, sitting among them, with their 50-60 ultras constantly belting it out to my right, I was leaning towards them too. Nevermind the ludicrous entrance fee.

The players await pens

So it was, Partizan got their wish: a penalty shoot-out. The Partizan captain stepped up first. Captain and GOALKEEPER. He proceeded to ‘Panenka’ it straight down the middle. The Hungarian keeper went to his left, still had time to adjust himself and get a right paw to the ball, but to no avail. What guts. What balls. What confidence this keeper had. Ferenc then missed and the result was never in doubt, despite Partizan drilling their 2nd pen wide. And judging by the celebrations, their victory was entirely unexpected. The squad players sat with us made their way to the front of the stand and jumped down to celebrate while Ferenc were booed off. My first booing off of the season, one game in.

The keeper dinks it in (believe me!)

Away: 70-80, with 50-60 ultras.

The Damage:
10,000 HUF= £27

The Tunes:
ACD (Half Man Half Biscuit)
Versions (Spring Heel Jack)
The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman (Sparks)

Even the local kicking box club is Ferenc-embossed

Florian Albert

Groupama Stadium and its cape

Ticket office pre-match

Partizan flags

Pre-match panorama

Sun glimmering, 1st half

Cramp kicks in at full time

The (90 minutes) full time panorama

Partizan players and fans celebrate

The players continue to party.

Goodnight Groupama!