Slavia Prague in Baku: empty stands and a strange Champions League

The Champions League match between Prague’s Slavia and Azerbaijan’s Sabah in Baku was played in unusual surroundings: in a stadium built for almost 70,000 spectators, fewer than 30,000 people turned up, according to official figures. The stands were frankly empty in places, and after the game the Slavia players could not shake the feeling of a strange atmosphere, almost out of place for Europe’s top club competition.

Silence before kick-off

Before the match it was said that a little over half of the official capacity would come to the stadium. The reality turned out to be more modest, at least to the eye. Unpredictable security checks at the entrance may also have played a part: they delayed pretty much everyone, at times by tens of minutes. Before kick-off the arena, which hosted the 2019 Europa League final and where in 2021 the Czech national team played its Euro quarter-final against Denmark, was almost deathly quiet. Only the Slavia fans noticeably “disturbed” it.

Then things came to life a little. The away section could be heard constantly, from tens of metres away, while the rest of the arena was heard more sporadically. Sabah’s two fan sections tried to create an atmosphere with drums, but in such a huge space that was practically impossible. The exceptions were whistles and discontented murmurs, which at least for a moment gave the feeling that football was being played.

Why so few fans

There may be several reasons. Sabah was founded nine years ago, so it does not have the same popularity or fan base. The club plays its domestic league home games at another, several times smaller stadium and does not fill even that. This is probably also linked to the general popularity of football in Azerbaijan.

The organisers did not underestimate security during the game itself either: soldiers in yellow vests stood shoulder to shoulder around the whole perimeter of the stadium, whose main “attraction” was a faded running track. And what is there most of in the arena? Definitely dust.

What the players said

The home fans did not hold a celebration after the historic triumph: people began to leave almost immediately after the final whistle. Even for the players themselves, such an environment must have been highly unfamiliar.

“It was specific and strange, but nothing changes for us on the pitch. This is a Champions League match, and last season we saw that the chances of picking up points are very slim. We need to analyse everything well and find the reasons why it didn’t work out,” lamented the experienced Lukáš Provod.

“We thought the Champions League would be attractive to fans in Azerbaijan. Fewer people came, but what can we do about that? We have to concentrate on the game on the pitch,” said midfielder Michal Sadílek.

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Source: sport.cz