RB Leipzig 1-1 MSV Duisburg, Sunday 18th August 2013

Raisonballsport Leizig 1-1 MSV Duisburg, att. 13,758 (3.liga)

Outside the Main Stand.

A fortnight after seeing RB lose a DFB Pokal game in front of 30,000, it's back to the 3.liga.  3 games in and both teams have had promising starts, two wins.  It's a chance to cement a leading berth

Getting to the stadium half an hour before kick-off, the queues were horrendous (on the main stand side).  Still, there were ticket booths on the opposite side so I headed there.  I knew there was a rabbit off though when the number of pedestrians dried up around the tower above the ‘Festwiese’ (the field next to the stadium).  The booths I had in mind were shut (the entire upper tier on that side was closed).  So they weren't expecting a big crowd.  As it was, 13,000 odd turned up.

The RB ultras, all-seated unlike every other German stadium.

Duisburg, forcibly relegated due to financial misdemeanors, have no respect for the parvenus of Red Bull.  A mainstay in the upper divisions, their fans bemoaned the lack of tradition of RB.  But whatever you think of the politics, the Red Bull Arena is simply one of the finest in the world, built within the old zentralstadion.  As the away turnstiles were next on our clockwise tour of the stadium we (my better half was also with me) slipped in there.  Although technically lower tier, the view was still fantastic, high up in the corner.

Match action.  RB go close.

The match started at a pace.  Leipzig could have been 3-0 up in 10 minutes, Bundesliga build-up play followed by 3.liga finishing.  Then MSV took the lead, a quick break, the forward clean through, he took it around the keeper, but with the angle diminishing and a covering defender sliding to the line, he had the wherewithawal to pull it back to give his mate a tap-in.  Cue celebrations in the stands for the ‘zebrafreundes’.  Why zebras?  MSV’s hoops are BLUE.

Harry the zebrafreunde was here.

The lead didn't last.  Within 5 minutes Red Bull got a free kick 25 yards out, which was curled left-footed into the corner.  Good finish, but essence of slow motion about it.  Keepers need to learn to take a couple of paces before diving.  And that was it.

After an entertaining first half, precisely nothing happened in the second, as evidenced by zero injury time.  Since when does that happen in a second half these days?  I missed the highlight at half time, the Duisburg fans waving rubber rings in the air and throwing them on the pitch.  Dunno what that was about.  They also unveiled a banner, probably the one I photo’d outside the stadium.  Red Bull are going to have to put up with more of this if their ascent continues.

The Duisburg players come to salute their following.

At the end, MSV fans cheered the result.  Despite being a big fish in a small pond, they're not optimistic of an automatic return.  I guess they’re relieved to even have a team following financial problems.

The Damage:

€15 ent

€3 beer

€3 badge

= €21

Match action, looking towards the main stand side.

Sektor C completely empty.

The beautiful curve of the stand.

Sektor D closed too.

Looking towards the far corner.

Even the seat patterns are beautiful.

Duisburg players take the acclaim.

Exiting over what used to be the terrace of the old zentralstadion.

What's not to like?

'Zebras have tradition'...RB do not.

The facade of the old main stand.

RasenBallsport (Red Bull Leipzig) 0-2 Augsburg, Friday 2nd August 2013

RB Leipzig 0-2 Augsburg (DFB Pokal)

Everyone's favourite Weimar Chancellor...

'Perfunctory',  That about sums it up as 3.liga 'RasenBall' are despatched with ease by Bundesliga Augsburg, ahead after four and a half minutes, killing the game with a late second and never in danger inbetween. But that didn't matter, cos what a stadium!  Built actually INSIDE the former communist concrete bowl that was the 'Zentral Stadion', this is as spectacular a setting for a football stadium as it gets.  Enter from the direction of the 'Festwiese', a large open expanse to the south of the stadium.  As myriad other streams of people come together from all directions, everyone heads towards a large tower and steps.  You are within touching distance of the stadium...yet all you can see is a big hill and a glimpse of...something.  (It's the roof.)

The walk across Festwiese.

I climbed the steps and turned left and a handy ticket booth appeared.  After negotiating the seating plan, I plumped for somewhere high up in Sektor C.  €15, all-seater.  So, slightly more than an average German terrace, alot less than your average German seat.

It was sweltering.  So obviously, Red Bull (let's not pretend they're called anything otherwise) had the slowest turnstiles imaginable.  The 1st problem was getting past the barriers; one guy was checking everyone's tickets to make sure we were in the right sektor.  But then you still had to get through an electronic ticket barrier, so what was the point?  And while this punter sweated amongst the herd, the turnstile operators at least had the protection of a gazebo.  Good job this is an EVENING game.

Shade for security...swelter for fans

Once through, I climbed the steps to the top of the hill before looking down on the magnificence that is this stadium-within-a-stadium.  It is the Russian doll of stadia!  You then have to walk DOWN some steps and go across the walkway over what is, in effect, a moat.  Wow!

Inside, the upper lower (!) concourse had plenty of refreshment stands, though never enough for a day like this. A middle concourse contains loads of toilets, a clever way of reducing the normal crushes.

After queueing for a quarter of an hour, I finally gained the sustenance I was craving, a Sprite and a beer.  Today was not a day for food.  Once I reached the upper tier, rather than take my assigned seat amongst the throng, I headed to the back where there was space to spread myself out.

The stadium within a stadium.

One had a great view from everywhere.  Some stood at the back, leaning on railings, some stood on the stairs, no-one bothered them.  Meantime, if you wanted to join the ultras, they had the block below, behind the goal.  They did their best (god bless 'em), but despite the home end being just about full, it was only a couple of hundred waving their flags and joining in the chanting. Possibly to do with the artificial construct of 'Red Bull' themselves; formed ostensibly to be a marketing tool for a multinational company to buy their way up the leagues and get some use out of this super stadium, built for the 2006 World Cup.  Leipzig already had at least one team - and Lokomotive still struggle on at their ramshackle home in the suburbs.  (Another, Sachsen, have since gone bust).

Across the drawbridge (sort of).

However, with continued Red Bull backing, this side could go all the way, much to the chagrin of Germans who support 'proper' teams.

Still, I love this stadium. This includes the walk.  Get a map, you can't go wrong.  At the very worst, walk from the city centre towards the river, and when you get there, turn right. Or left (if you've gone down a different road to me).  It can't be more than 15 minutes from the Hbf.  There's a reason this was once 'Zentral Stadion'.

The teams come out.

Attendance: 30,307 (Red Bull Arena)

The Damage:
€15 ent
€3 wurst
€3.50 beer (50c deposit on the glass; kids collecting them later on made a fortune.)
€3.50 Sprite.  How desperate was I?

The Tunes:
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back - Public Enemy
The Fool - Warpaint
Intro: The Gift Recordings - Pulp

His 'n' Hers - Pulp

The home end.

Augsburg didn't bring alot.

The Main Stand (club offices behind, leastways).

The upper tier pincer movement

The mezzanine floor (toilets).

My block...and make no mistake.

East German chic.

The Leipzig Armadillo.

Beautiful!