Hamburger SV 1-0 SC Freiburg, Saturday 21st April 2018

Hamburger SV 1-0 SC Freiburg, Bundesliga (att. 54,847)

Welcome to ...

I’ve been aiming to visit Hamburger SV for a while and I’d decided I MUST see them while they are in the Bundesliga.  After all, they’re the only side never to have been relegated from the top division, and don’t they like to crow about it, having a digital clock in the north west corner commemorating how long they have served in the Bundesliga – to the second.  Former champions of Europe, nevermind Germany, I’ve been following Hamburger’s efforts to get relegated for several years.  The last 5 years have been one inexorable struggle whereby every year (seemingly) a late run, or a relegation play-off, saves them.  They’d turned into a German Aston Villa, simply existing, hanging around like a bad smell, depriving some other team who might do something, a place at the top table.

The clock.

However, finally…finally, this appears to be their year, the season they finally…finally…get relegated.  With 4 matches to go they’re 8 points off 3^rd (and 4^th and 5^th) off bottom.  3^rd off bottom and they have the reprieve of another relegation play-off.  And who’re today’s visitors?  Why, it’s 3^rd off bottom Freiburg.  With a keen eye on the table, I’d hoped this would be Freiburg’s chance to deliver the coup de grace, the final shot.  However, this couldn’t be, as 5^th off bottom Wolfsburg had been beaten the night before.  So, a Hamburger victory and the dream would live on.

Inside the Volkparkstadion.

The stadium was easy to get to, a S-bahn (train) to Stellingen.  I was staying in St. Pauli, so there was a direct service from Reeperbahn station.  Once at Stellingen, it’s a 20 minute walk, mainly through forest and around a hill.  Not quite the Waldstadion, Frankfurt, as there were great views of some industrial park or other, but pleasant enough, pedestrianised.  With my partner needing the toilet, we were keen to get inside, so it was blow when I wasn’t allowed in because of my small bag.  We were directed to put it inside a container (the same thing happens at Dortmund…and Hallescher) but the container was full.  We ended up doing a lap of the stadium, to no avail.  There wasn’t another container.  Having considered the options, I took the stuff out of my bag (a newspaper), folded it up, and put it in my partner’s handbag.  Brilliant, we were in!

The crowd outside Stellingen.

By now, kick-off time was approaching.  Considering this was all my idea, I thought I’d better get the beer and wurst in, which meant missing the teams coming out, but whatthehell?  I heard the music leading up to the club’s anthem.  If you can imagine the theme to The Third Man, played on some kind of acoustic guitar, getting faster and faster.  It was unique, I’ll say that.

We were in the upper tier, behind the goal opposite the ultras.  I’d bought them on HSV’s website several weeks earlier.  Say what I like about wanting them to lose, these were the most spacious seats I’ve ever had at a stadium, plenty of room for folk to get past even if you were sat down.  Heaven compared to being jammed in at Old Trafford.  If you like the full sitting down in huge megastadium experience, this is well worth a visit, though for sheer passion and enjoyment, you're better off on the terraces of St. Pauli.

The Hamburger SV ultras.

It was an exciting game too.  Both sides had chances in the 1^st half, though Freiburg can kick themselves for not putting the game to bed, missing several gilt-edged opportunities, including one bizarre scramble where they had 3 or 4 shots. Needless to say, these things come back to bite you, and in the second half, Lewis Holtby (former Spurs reserve) slotted home the winner to the delight of over 50,000 Hamburgers.  Indeed, he’d been the stand-out performer for the red shorts, not just in the way he played, but in the way he was chief cheerleader, constantly cajoling the supporters into making some noise. He certainly hasn’t given up the cause and the fans were up for it, a cacophony of sound throughout.  Can HSV do the unthinkable and survive AGAIN?  I'm almost hoping they do.  Almost.

The Damage (for 2):

€26 ent (x2)

€5 delivery to England

= €57

I can’t remember how much the beer and sausages were, probably around €3-€3.50 each.

Volksparkstadion panorama.

Collecting the empties...

1st view of stadium.

HSV offices next door.

Where's my entrance?

Spot the ball.

The net, embossed with club badge.

The Freiburg fans (in the corner).

The exec area and behind.

WTF?  Hamburger SV mascot.

Christian Streich on the Freiburg bench.  Or not on it.

 

Full-time.

The ultras celebrate.

Training pitches behind the stadium.

SC Freiburg 6-3 1.FC Nurnberg, Monday 27th July 2015

SC Freiburg 6-3 1.FC Nurnberg (Bundesliga 2)

Welcome to ..........

It's after 11 p.m. and it's a case of bittersweet. All trains north, whether to Karlsruhe or Frankfurt, are delayed by 1½ to 6 hours. The sweet? I'm sat on the 17:49 (!) to Amsterdam, holed up in the buffet car, replete with a glass of Erdinger. The train still isn't going anywhere but at least I'm sat in the bar area along with a few other reprobates from the footie, both Freiburg and Nurnberg.

Freiburg is a great place to come and see football, even if, as I did, you have a terrible view. The Sud Tribune terrace has barriers by each side of the gangway preventing you from squeezing in, (cos you can be guaranteed someone is leaning on said barrier/handrail). So you have to try and push in from the back (impossible, 5-6 deep) or you walk around the front and hope for the best. The gangway meantime is patrolled under strictest guard and woebetide those who argue. I crawled through an opening in the corner, near the scoreboard, climbed 2 or 3 stairs and leant on the barrier, facing the action side-on. I almost had a view - of the far end. This end seemed very fence-heavy, in a way the seating areas weren't.

AKA ...........

I wouldn't even care, but this wasn't even Freiburg's main fankurve. That was at the opposite end. Our end had a tier of terrace below seats; the view from above must be amazing given the height and it being the only stand devoid of pillars. Outside, I saw at least a dozen fans asking for tickets for the home end. I imagined plenty of seats available, though once inside it looked a full house (which it was: 23,700).

What a great stadium though. 4 'proper' stands overlooking the pitch and the fans tight to the action. The home end, one large bank of terracing behind the goal, two sides of seating and our end, which today included the Nurnberg ultras (far right, ho ho).

Banners before kick off

We WILL be back (to the Bundesliga).

Also. as nice as Freiburg (the place) is, if you can afford the time, definitely stroll the three miles or so to the stadium. Head to the river from the train station, turn left and keep on walking. You can even sit on a rock mid-river and dangle your toes in the Dreisam as one did. (Note: problies best not to do this in winter.) Or, further back along stream, a bunch of students were sitting for dinner at a picnic table in the middle of the shallow current. Style.

The match was crazy, and a perfect choice for TV. Newly relegated Frieburg versus yo-yo club Nurnberg. I saw Kaiserslautern go 3 up in half an hour t'other day, tonight I'd seen a hat-trick in 13 minutes and 2 penalties in the first 10.

Scarves up, the teams are coming out.

1-0 A mazy dribble, outflicked leg, penalty. Straight down the middle (I saw in the replay).

2-0 Last man is rounded and chops him down. No red. Penalty again savable but keeper goes the wrong way.

3-0 Keeper makes a hash of it; off a freekick, he leaves near post unguarded, expecting a cross. Although he saves the shot, he pops the ball up nicely for Pedersen to finish into the roof of the net.

4-0 It's getting silly now. Quick move in 1.FCN box has Pedersen rounding the keeper...great save but the ball falls to an unmarked teammate. Half-time, easy. But is it?

4-1 Goal of the game. corner is swung in, it's flicked on towards back post, 12 yards out and it's hit on the half volley into the far corner. For technique, this needs to be used in coaching videos.

The Sud Tribune...packed and fences galore.

4-2 Goal, one minute into the second half. Easy for you to remember you've got YouTube. I have no idea how Nurnberg scored, but I do know I saw it.

4-3 Penalty. Same end, different team. You can finally here the Nurnbergers (where were they at 4-0?) The home fans are stunned into silence. They're bricking it.

Then, for a while, it was an average game. Coulda been one of them nil-nils for all you'd know. Then it's 5-3, the left back beats ONE player and is suddenly clean through, as defenders everywhere retreat, expecting the pass. He puts it onto his right and places it in the far corner. Goodnight. Or it is on 84 minutes when I see it yet another player sent off for idiocy, in this case a second booking for vehemently disputing a throw in. A throw-in, FFS!
6-3 was easier to describe. I was holding my **** when I heard the cheer. Yes, I was in the bogs. But I still saw the replay showing a back post finish through the keeper's legs. It was Freiburg's night.

Front row seats, visibility impaired.

To be honest, I don't know where the Nurnberg goals came from. Freiburg looked streets ahead of them. And for Pedersen, whose on-loan goals nearly saved them last year - whatthehell is he doing here? Surely some other Bundesliga side would have signed him up?

Earlier, I'd had good time to amble around Freiburg including climbing the big hill overlooking the town. Shame then that the tower at its peak was closed. So much for my Panorama of Freiburg and the Black Forest. All I could see from the foot of the tower was trees but sometimes it pays to get away from the crowds and on the way down I found something which would have saved half my effort the other way - a funicular railway. It was Heidelberg all over again (finding a funicular after the event). Funnily enough, I've just spoken to a Nurnberg fan from Heidelberg. It's Monday night, close to midnight and there's no trains heading North. Still as long as the TV cameras are happy! (I remember the chant when Barnsley were in the Premiership....'On Sky on a Monday night...on Sky on a Monday night!') Who gives a s*** about the fans?

So I made a dash at full-time. The tram stop was handily situated at the south end of the stadium, 5 mins walk...and my train was 11 pm. Well it's now 11:45 pm (as I write this) and the buffet car on the 1749 to Frankfurt is turning into a handy little lock-in. But will I get to Karlsruhe anytime tonight? Attendance: 23,700 (capacity). The Damage:
€13.50 ent (inc €3 postage, I bought my ticket in advance)
€3.30 schnitzel (x2)
€3 bier (400ml, x2)
€1 prog
€1.50 badge
= €28.30 (£20)

Goal crazy at Europa Park.

Mosaic outside a Freiburg business.

Tonight's entertainment advertised.

I was wondering where I might get a Rangers flag...

I spot a team coach...

Match parking, Black Forest-style.

The mascot mingles, pre-match.

A full stand awaits the action.

Chumbawamba fans?

Is that Wayne Coyne? (lead singer of the Flaming Lips) 

Packed out, expecting at least half a dozen goals...

If Rizla had invented a typeface...

'On Sky on a Monday night'

Home time.