Borussia, Bratwursts & Bochum

So before Christmas, after some debate, me and my dad finally agreed - we'd be off to Germany at the end of the season. Dad had promised a "football holiday" and it was just up to me to decide where. First I though a Nice/Monaco double but that wasn't happening, and I'm far too hipster - I think - to do Barcelona or Real. Who'd want to watch the world's best anyway? I found Borussia Monchengladbach were playing, and as I kind of love them it was decided. Now just for the German fixtures to be confirmed so I could work out who else I could see that weeked.

The original plan was Gladbach on the Sunday and Fortuna Dusseldorf  on the Saturday, so accommodation was booked near Dusseldorf, in the small town of Neuss (pronounced like a Brummie saying 'nice') and flights were sorted. 

......

I had persuaded my brother Scott to come along on the trip too, and on the Friday morning, we were at Heathrow ready to board the flight to Germany. As we touched down in die Niederrhein, we then had to battle the German S-Bahn system. I say battle, but it was simple and only a short trip over the river to Neuss. We were in our flat barely an hour before we headed back towards Dusseldorf for a night out with the Germans. Dusseldorf old town is MILES from the Hauptbahnhof (main station) so unless you fancy sore feet and tired legs, don't bother doing it. I'm glad that it was worth the walk though - what a stunning place Dusseldorf is. 

Dusseldorf Konigsallee

Now, i'm not much of a beer drinker, but being in Germany, I did promise my dad I'd have a stein, so that is where we headed for first - a bierkeller. We found a small bar called Ludwig's Bier & Brot where the bar man asked us about our visit to DUS - why we were there etc. before an old man interrupted and mentioned he was from Monchengladbach. This led to him buying us drinks and toasting to his beloved "Borussia". This blog is about the football so I won't divulge too much about the night, but it ended with me drunk off BEER (not bad considering I hate it) dodging a train fare as far as the DUS outskirts, where we ran away from an angry ticket man and into the German wilderness. The taxi fair from here was €30!!!

Anyway, onto Saturday...

We arrived into Gladbach station about three hours before the 3.30pm kick off. We knew there was a free shuttle bus towards the Borussia-Park but we decided to leave that til later and head into Gladbach centre. The town centre really is as bland as any and I could have been in Crawley, apart from Crawley doesn't have random brass donkey's in the middle of the town square... 

Being an ass in Gladbach

I spotted a large shopping centre, and my senses told me there may just be a Borussia club shop in there. To be honest, people walking out with bags with the club logo on was a bit of a give away. Anyway, whilst walking towards the shop, an old man caught my eye. It was only the bloke from the Dusseldorf bar the night before! After chatting about the randomness of meeting him again in the little English he spoke, he told us to head further up the high street towards a large square where Gladbach fans would congregate, so after purchasing a Gladbach shirt for €30 and "A German Team" scarf (I had to!) we headed there. And who did we bump into? Only this old bloke...again! We were sure he was following us. After a couple of beers and some food we decided to head towards the ground, still two hours from kick off. "Let's walk!" my dad proclaimed. I was unsure, but thought it can't be that far. How wrong was i? Well, very. After an hour walking, we were stranded in the middle of the Gladbach countryside with only the metal of the stadium in the distance as our compass. I regularly lambasted my Dad for such a stupid suggestion to walk. 

Fan Zone at Borussia Park

When we finally appeared out of the wilderness looking like extras from Lost, we were just a few hundred metres from the ground. With just half an hour to kick off we headed straight in - now is the moment I air my grievances about Borussia Park. WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD PUT FOOD AND DRINK IN SEPARATE KIOSKS AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE CONCOURSE?! Stupid idea. 


Anyway, when I finally entered up the steps into the arena I was stunned. Borussia Park may just look like a standard modern bowl, but the atmosphere which greeted me was superb. I'd queued for so long that the teams were about to walk out, but not before a rendition of the club anthem - Elf vom Niederrhein, which is an absolute banger. See lyrics from the chorus below:

Ja wir schwören Stein und Bein
auf die Elf vom Niederrhein,
Borussia unser Dream-Team,
denn Du bist unser Verein!

Go West was then played - I honestly have no idea, so I guessed it was something to do with Borussia being located in "Nordrhein Westphalen."

Gladbach are mid-table after a poor domestic season, but were just a few points off the Europa League spot and knew that a win against struggling Ausgburg could keep their hopes alive. Augsburg had only recently dragged themselves away from the relegation mire, but with the table so tight at the bottom, needed three points to boost their survival hopes. 

At half time it was goalless, but Borussia should have perhaps been out of sight. Andre Hahn, Lars Stindl, and Andreas Christensen all missed golden chances to take the lead, and just minutes into the second half, Augsburg made them pay. A long ball over the top found its way to Alfred Finnbogasson who slotted past Gladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer and sent an impressive bunch of away fans wild. 

As the clocked ticked towards ninety, disgruntled home fans - perhaps angered by what I would presume was one of their teams worst performance all season - began streaming out. Being a "neutral" obviously we stayed. Step up Andre Hahn, who connected to an Ibrahima Toure cross and slid in an equaliser in the 95th minute. Strangely, nobody really seemed bothered apart from me, who let out an almighty YES in sheer relief that they'd actually scored.

Full time: Borussia Monchengladbach 1-1 FC Augsburg.

Departing Borussia Park was much less stressful than our arrival, as we hopped on the free shuttle bus back to the main station, and back to Dusseldorf for another night on the town. Of course, I needed a cider so to the only Irish Bar I could find it was! 

Sunday...

I didn't really know what to expect from Bochum. I hadn't researched the team, town, stadium, or even how to get there until the morning we left. 

I urge everyone - never go to Bochum on a Sunday. Nothing is open. Not even the bars. But there is a massive bell outside the city hall. To make matters worse, I was working on English time for some reason and we arrived an hour early than planned - kick off was at 1.30pm, not 12.30. D'oh...

Bochum Bell

Luckily, we did find somewhere for a drink, before taking a long walk up the hill towards the Vonovia Ruhrstadion. I won't lie, it is one of the ugliest grounds from the outside I have ever seen. Today's visitors, relegation probabilities Arminia Bielefeld fans were out in their droves for today's game, all sporting '12' T-shirts, provided by the club for today's relatively local derby. Bielefeld were adrift and second bottom of 2.Bundesliga, and no points today could possibly relegated them had results not gone their way. 

After making our way through the seemingly thousands of away fans, I found the club shop where I purchased a scarf before heading towards the 'fan zone' under the main stand. Here there were penalty shoot outs for the kids, stalls, and a couple of other bits going on. I'm unsure whether this is the norm or whether it was a special event day. 

Ruhrstadion Exterior

Heading through the turnstiles at the Ruhrstadion, I was much happier to see that food and drink were sold together. €6 got me a Bratwurst and a pint to carry up the steps in the terrace. My word, what a stadium! I assumed from pictures that the Ruhrstadion was a typical Southampton or Leicester style stadium with a terrace at one end, and while I wasn't far off, it was certainly much more exciting than your average St Mary's or King Power.

As the terrace began to fill up towards kick off, I sensed we were in for a treat as the decibel levels increased. German fans had already set a good impression for me this weekend, but Bochum fans were about to blow all my expectations out the water, as did the travelling Arminia fans. With the Poznan from the away fans, and the Bochum anthem blaring out the speakers, it was a lively atmosphere for the arrvial of the two sides. 

Arminia made the dream start just 7 minutes in as Keanu Straude bundled the ball in and sent the away fans loopy. To be honest, I'd love to go into depth about the next 70 minutes, but it was dull. Both sides really were a bit rubbish, but at least the fans were keeping me excited. Bochum fans, you've impressed me. What a club!

Inside during the Bochum anthem

When substitute Selim Gunduz entered the field, little did we know that just ten minutes later he would score the equaliser for Bochum. It was definitely cross, and if anyone says otherwise they are lying. From forty yards out and to the right of the net, he played a ball into the box which looped over everyone, and bounced into the box. Happy Bochum fans and happy Craig. This sparked a frantic last ten minutes as both sides attacked to find a late winner. Arminia hit the post, Bochum miss a sitter, Armina miss a sitter, then Bochum hit the post. It was madness, and definitely made up for the previous hour of dross. 

With the game ended, we left to some of the most over the top football policing I have ever seen. Lines and lines of police horses and armed guards stood on every street corner towards the station. Not a hint of trouble had occurred all afternoon, and both sides, as far as I'm aware, were going home happy. 

In good news though, more bars were open afterwards and we headed to the oldest building in the town, a bar called Alter Brauhaus, before a train back to base and another night out on the DUS streets. 

Sunday night involved a hen do, a drunk Irishman dancing naked on the streets, and Killepitsch, a local liquer we'd uncovered on the Friday night. I loved it so much I bought some in duty free. 

Germany, you've been a blast. Gladbach lived up to expectations, and Bochum exceded them. Until next time, Europe.