Geordie Al's Groundhopper Scrapbook: Kaiserslautern 0-0 Ingolstadt, Tuesday 30th July 2019

Wednesday, 31 July 2019

Kaiserslautern 0-0 Ingolstadt, Tuesday 30th July 2019

Kaiserslautern 0-0 Ingolstadt, 3.liga, att. 17,212 (Fritz Walter Stadion)

Welcome to ...

Without a 'new' ground to visit tonite, I went back to an old favourite, Betzenberg, Kaiserslautern - or the Fritz Walter Stadion to give it its official name. This place is a cathedral. Or a castle, built atop the highest hill in town. You can see it from everywhere, and, most importantly, from the railway station, so there's no excuses to get lost. Just don't go into town; there's a reason Kaiserslautern doesn't even get a mention in Lonely Planet.

The coolest roundabout on the planet.

I arrived an hour and a half before kick-off and expected relatively quiet surrounds. Not a bit of it. Hundreds had already congregated. All the way from the station and up the hill to the stadium were pop-up bars and food stalls. And then there's my favourite part of the walk, as you go through an opening underneath a prefab block and arrive at the other side, with steps heading up as far as the eye can see. Good job there's another bar here.

Such an unassuming entrance to such an assuming place.

The sud-ost box office was busy, but efficient. While considering which section I wanted, I gave in to chance. '9.4', high up behind the goal. This section had safe-standing, but since the higher up one went, the emptier it was, you could sit if you wished. I moved along and to the left, and went a little lower. One problem with higher up is that you can't see the rest of the stadium for the roof overhead, like in the Gallowgate End at Newcastle.

Plenty of space back here.

For all my climb, I wasn't rewarded with a goal. I also realised it meant a longer journey for victuals, s the refreshment bars were all on the ground floor. I also successfully negotiated their card system (you pay €1.50 deposit for a card and you can claim back the deposit on the card and anything left on it later). Arriving so early, there was no way I wasn't going to eat and drink. I found a perch outside, balcony-like, overlooking the steps I'd clambered earlier.

See that balcony? I had my beer and wurst there.

Afterwards, I slipped by stewards to stand 'downstairs' in 9.2, though it's all one tier, really. There still seemed plenty of space, albeit most of the crowd of 17,000 odd were behind this goal. I also had the ultras' flags in front of me, but I guess the giant one ready to be unfurled is only used for goals, cos it never came out! Ingolstadt came closest to scoring, a cut inside from the right ending with a curling shot rattling the crossbar. For Lautern, it was a shot from inside their own half which the visiting keeper struggled to get back for.

The Lautern ultras.

Yes, my 6th game of this tour brought my first goalless draw. Kaiserslautern are considered a 'big' club (think of Sunderland in division 3), Actually, I enjoyed that. Think some more of Sunderland in division 3. However, one of them has won the league and cup in the last 20 years and the other is Sunderland. Opponents Ingolstadt were no mugs though, having just been relegated from Bundesliga 2 and having been playing the likes of Bayern 3 years ago in Bundesliga.

The home end awaits its heroes.

The Betzenberg, all steep stands and giant roofs is testament to civil engineering and architecture, making the most of every bit of space it has. I'm shocked to read of the threat of 1.FCK having to leave due to monetary issues. This famous old stadium and this famous old team evoke romantic feelings from German footie fans everywhere and is without doubt one of my favourite German football venues. Long may it reign!

Welcome to...(II)

The Damage:
€13 ent
€4 beer (x2)
€3 wurst (x2)
€1.50 plastic glass deposit
= €28.50

The Tunes:
Gatecrasher black (Various)
Strange Free World (Kitchens of Distinction)

Stayed at:
Mannheim Youth Hostel (€27)