Karlsruher SC 2-0 Hannover 96, Monday 12th August 2019

Karlsruher SC 2-0 Hannover 96, DFB Pokal 1st round, att. 11,779 (Wildparkstadion)

Welcome to ....

Karlsruher’s Wildparkstadion was/is one of my favourite stadiums, and, knowing it was to be torn down and replaced by a 35,000 looks-like-everyone-else’s ground, I endeavoured to make a final pilgrimage.  Gone would be the curves at either end.  Another great German bowl would disappear, following recently departed Saarbrucken and Erzgebirge Aue.  Also gone soon would be the imperious Haupttribune, which I’d have tried to incorporate into the new design, to add some uniqueness.

The Haupttribune

With plans announced for a new stadium in back in 2017, what I hadn’t foreseen was how keen the Germans would be to get on with the job; what I saw was a stadium in mid-transformation.  I hadn’t realised demolition began at the back end of last season.  The curves at either end had been bulldozed and replaced with temporary stands, one covered (the main home end) and one not.  Why not knock one stand down at a time and build the new one properly?  Well, a bit of digging (sorry) suggests the ends had to be removed first as the banking possibly contained remnants of WWII explosives and possible contamination.  As good a reason as any.

Where the south curve once lay.

The Gegentribune, down one side, was desert of fans.  The lower tier, at the Nachter Mann end, used to be where the ultras once crowded.  Now they’ve been replaced by diggers, awaiting orders. The idea is the stadium will continue to be in use during the renovation, with capacity not to be lower than 15,000.  (The new stadium will hold 35,000 against its former capacity of 29,000.)  Thus, getting rid of the curves also affords more room around the site for the builders.

The diggers wait in the ultras old section.

As befits the name ‘Wildparkstadion’, the stadium is built within scenic parkland, through which you can walk all the way from Karlsruhe Schloss (Castle).  Another reason why this is on my list of favourite grounds.  Karlsruhe’s streetplan all emanates from the schloss.  Also, if you visit at the start of the football season, there’s likely to be something on in town.  Last time, there was a medieval fayre in the park.  This time, after dark (perfect, given the match was an evening kick-off) there was a sound and visual show at the schloss, with animated films projected onto the schloss with accompanying classical music.  I loved it, but having been rained on earlier, I became a bit chilly in my t-shirt.  Shame, as I’ve have happily stuck around for another hour having a beer or two.  It was spectacular.

Visuals on Karlsruhe schloss.

As for the match, having walked through schlossgarten (follow anyone with a blue shirt on!), I arrived at one of the three entrances currently open.  I never even looked at seating prices.  I just asked for a standing (‘stehplatz’) ticket.  They were €16 or €17.  I didn’t know the difference, but I think I did later as it rained – the other end had a roof.  I just took pot luck, but I suspect the main home end was full.

The main home (north) end.

Looking at my ticket, I was in the same area of terrace as my last/first visit.  However, as I walked around, it became obvious the curve had…disappeared.  The earthen banking had been removed, replaced by an open area with refreshment stalls behind a temporary stand.

Despite being to one side of the terrace, my sector was very busy – though partly cos people see the terrace is busy and congregate at the terrace entrance.  Thus it was that when Karlsruher nearly scored (SHOULD have scored, hitting the sidenetting from 6 yards) half of one of my pots of beer (yes, I had two) went skyward.  Luckily, my reactions meant it covered the mate of the idiot who barged me.  Cue laughing from the idiot who knocked me.  No apology.

The south end.

This weekend was the German cup, and, on paper, this was possibly one of the least interesting ties in the DFB Pokal: a pair of Bundesliga 2 sides slugging it out.  Hannover, newly relegated from Bundesliga, are still finding their level and were easily beaten 2-0.  Writing this two days later I have no recollection of the goals.  Did Karlsruher score at the back end of the 1^st half?  No idea.  I’m still thinking about the (free) entertainment put on at the schloss, the unexpected highlight of my holiday.

Actually, I've figured out how one was scored.

The Damage:
€16 ent
€4.20 beer (x3, Rothaus)
€3.50 fleischkasweck
€12 mug

= €35.70 (£39)

The Tunes:
Silver or Lead (Ursula Rucker)
The Dawn of Psychedelia (Various)
Debut (Bjork)
The Digging Remedy (Plaid)
Drone Logic (Daniel Avery)

Stayed at:
Kultur|Jugendherberge Karlsruhe (£26)

My first visit:  https://geordiealsgroundhopperscrapbook.blogspot.com/2013/07/karlsruher-sc-0-0-st-pauli-saturday.html

Wildparkstadion panorama (I)

Wildparkstadion panorama (II)

Directions in the schlossgarten.

Back of the Haupttribune.

Stairs into the Haupttribune.

A handy car parking space.

Heading around the back of the old curve.

Match action.

Duran Duran fans?

The Karlsruher claws.

Remnants of banking in the north-west corner.

See those steps?  I once stood on them.  Shaded from blistering sun.

The curve of the Haupttribune.

The Gegentribune awaits demolition.

Soon to be gone, forever.

Giant meccano.  But in a good way.

This hat has seen some games...

Karlsruher about to attack a corner.

Match action.

Cubist executive boxes.

The scoreboard says it all.

Sun setting over Wildparkstadion.

I can't resist.

Full-time.

One less game for this stand to see.

The home players take their applause.

One last look...

This stand is a monster.  Grrrr!

The metal terracing of the temporary south stand.

Demolition has begun in the Gegentribune.

I've seen more appetising snacks.

Viktoria Zizkov 2-0 Vitkovice, Sunday 11th August 2019

Viktoria Zizkov 2-0 Vitkovice, Czech FNL, att. 1,002 (efotbal arena)

Welcome to ...

It’s mid-morning on a Sunday in Prague, which can only mean one thing – Viktoria Zizkov!  Along with Bohemians, this is by far my favourite Prague footballing experience (outside of Prague, definitely Sigma Olomouc – what a stadium!)  And, knowing the area, I stayed in Zizkov (one stop on the tram from the main station) and left my abode at 10:05 for a 10:15 kick-off.  Not that I saw kick-off – the queue saw to that.

Nice day for it.

There were plenty of English (and Scottish) voices in the crowd.  Certainly, tourists and expats made up a decent proportion of the crowd.  More than the away fans, though I saw two wearing Vitkovice scarves.  Unsurprising really, as they barely get a crowd at home in the eastern city of Ostava.  I presume those two live in Prague.

Is it an away end if there's no away fans?

Being clever (!) I bought a ticket in the Main Stand, the only cover in the ground.  Already the sun was up and temperatures were bordering 30°c.  Course, I hadn’t actually noticed where the sun was – pointing directly at the Main Stand.  Fans shuffled to the back, but the view of the pitch is obscured by the camera gantries.  Far better to be on the far (seated) terrace: the tall buildings behind mean this is always in the shade of a morn.  In early August.  So I moved there for the 2^nd half, not wanting to push my way past other fans while the game was playing.

It's cosy in here.

The teams moved about quite well considering the heat, but it remained scoreless at half-time.  Zizkov had had some promising attacks but were let down by wayward, or weak, finishing.  It was breakfast time for me, however, and I was rewarded with my finest sausage so far on my latest adventure, a salami-esque number in a hot dog roll, with onions.  All washed down with a morning beer…no, I was thirsty.  I didn’t need alcohol.  7Up (Sprite) has never tasted so good.  (Reminds me of a joke from my youth: Why do Americans drink Coca-Cola?  Cos they can’t get 7Up!  - This was after a rather unsuccessful US space mission in which the crew died.)

This is what I call a fine specimen.

While I, and many others, sought shade, the Zizkov ultras (all 30 of them) stood in the ‘temporary’ stand behind the goal, slowly cooking in the sun.  (I say ‘temporary; it was here 5 years ago or whenever I was last here.  Like Gillingham’s away end, if you substitute red seats for blue and sun for habitual misery.)  Change is on the horizon though.  The old entrance has been removed as part of the building process for the new office and living blocks which are going up behind the goal.  The temp stand still remains in the architect’s impression though, as well as the rest of the ground,  Long may it be so; don’t turn it into the plastic experience of Sparta or Slavia.

Gillingham's away end has never looked this good.

Zizkov eventually won the game 2-0; a flicked header from a cross and a 25 yard free kick which went through the keeper’s hand.  Shame for him, as he’d had a good game.  Otherwise, the star turn was a black fella in Zizkov’s midfield, presumably the Ecuadorian (Ecuadoran?) Batioja.  Defensively, he won everything first half, before being pushed up second half and being the centre of everything.  I suspect he won’t be there long.  
And then it was all over.  It was barely midday and I was one game down.

Zizkov players receive their dues.

The Damage:

CHK 100 ent
CHK 65 klobasa
CHK 35 Sprite
CHK 50 fridge magnet
CHK 150 badge

CHK 10 prog

= CHK 410 (£14)

The Tunes:
None – early kick-off!

Stayed at:
Hostel Boudnik, Prague (£25 – two nights)

Viktoria Zizkov panorama from the Main Stand.

Zizkov panorama towards the Main Stand.

The view from the building site.

This will all look different next time I come.

The (lack of) entrance.

Where the away end meets the far terrace.

Big plans in Zizkov (the area).

Down the touchline.

Looking towards the home end.

The Main Stand.

Zizkov ultras

The home end.