Outside90’s Richard Hinman recalls his experiences attending last weekend’s Bundesliga encounter between Hertha Berlin and Borussia Monchengladbach
Its match-day. The anticipation and buzz is like nothing else. But the excitement is tampered somewhat when I see it is 5:50, my alarm keeps going off and it is rather dark outside.
After a quick get up, I am whisked to the busiest airport in Europe, yet Heathrow is not quite the same so early on a Saturday morning. But that is okay because I am off to Berlin.
The German capital is famed for many things, but football is not one of them. Hertha, the city’s main team, have only won two German titles, the last coming in 1931 and they have never won the German Cup or a European trophy. However, that is not of much interest to me. I am about to attend my first football game in Germany and the Bundesliga matchday experience is the best in Europe right?
With our bags dropped off in the hotel, we are on our way to the Olympiastadion. A sea of blue and white get on the S-bahn and we follow. The tide departs and we get swept up among it. But once we gain composure we find ourselves in football heaven. Just outside the stadium there are beer houses and cheery fans alike.
It is almost like a postcard. People are outside in the glorious sunshine, in almost a party mood. There are fans from both sides, enjoying the day with no hint of violence or tension. After finishing a pint, a quick glance at the watch reveals we that although we could sit here all day, time is moving on.
At the turnstiles, it is chaotic. People are all over the place with no real sense of order. So much for German efficiency. The ticket officer gives me a such a glare when I scan the wrong barcode on my ticket into the machine. There were three different barcodes, what chance did I have?
We get into the stadium and have another beer, the novelty being we can take it into our seats unlike most arenas in Europe. We even got €6 back after reusing our plastic cups, how pleasant!
Once we get to our seats, we are in for a shock. We are right behind a pole, not ideal. A fair section of the pitch is not visible, but it is a experience remember?
The match is about to kick-off and the music is blaring out. Suddenly it goes a bit quiet. Hertha’s prematch anthem is about to come. It begins and we get the giggles, while the Berliners are signing their hearts out, we are stunned that a German version of “Sailing” by Rod Stewart is playing. Nur Nach Hause may translate to “we are at home” but we could not be more out of our comfort zone humming along to 70s classic.
The game begins and the universal love of football kicks in. Yet it soon becomes apparent that this is not a fair contest. Borussia are dominant and take a deserved lead. Two minutes later we are giggling again. Monchengladbach forward Raffael seemingly loses the ball while going forward, but the Hertha defender gives it straight back to him, a one-two if you like. The Brazilian hammers it home and within two minutes, the game has turned on its head. Our laughter is overheard by the locals, though they are too angry with their team to care.
Off the pitch there is plenty of entertainment too. The scoreboard reveals the latest scores from across the grounds with much fanfare, groans and cheers making it clear who Hertha fans dislike. Halftime is celebrated with another beer, when in Rome and all that.
When the second-half begins, the game becomes a non-event. The referee spoils the match by giving a very soft penalty. The locals, including a rather large fella infront of me, were incensed. Credit to Monchengladbach who were clinical throughout the match, yet it was a shame nonetheless.
All 5,000 or so of the Borussia fans in the far corner were ready to party. Hertha fans are noticeably quiet. Their side pull a goal back, but are finished off in the last minute. 4-1 was perhaps harsh a harsh result, although their first-half performance was shocking and did not go down well in the home stands.
There is much more to football though then results and performances, particularly when you have no affiliation to either side. Mid-way through the second-half, I look around and take in my surroundings. And what surrounding they are.
This is where Jesse Owens defied Hitler by winning four golds medals in the most controversial Olympic games of all time. It is where Italy beat France to win the World Cup almost a decade ago with that Zidane headbutt. It is also where Usain Bolt set both the 100m and 200m world records, in astonishing times.
I look up into the night sky and it is a fitting image to remember an amazing football experience (minus that pole).
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