Kevin Whitcher
So let me first run you though the different checkpoints you have to go through to get into a match here, pertinent in the light of Russian fans having all sorts of pyrotechnics on Saturday night inside the Stade Velodrome.
First up, there is a ticket checkpoint where an individual has a highlighter pen and marks an area on the back of your ticket. Some of the more thorough ones actually check that the silver foil element on the ticket is genuine. The marking of the ticket, I can only conclude, prevents more than one individual getting past this first checkpoint and possibly identifies any forgeries. Maybe the pen they are using would not have the same effect on a forgery, although to me the card used looks pretty bog standard. Then again, I am uncertain how the marker they use to identify fake notes in pubs actually works. Anyway there is a cordon of gun wielding police behind these checkers with their markers, which is something of a disincentive to anyone who fancies rushing their way past.
Next up, the security check. Bags are searched. There are portakabins for people to store anything that they are not allowed in. And then a fairly thorough body search. Once you are through that there is only really one more check – the electronic barriers, which are easily hurdled in truth, but where your ticket barcode is read to gain admittance to the concourses. Sometimes there are heavies here, sometimes just what I assume to be friendly volunteers. And before the game, there is usually a check at the actual entrance to the block if the stewards feel like being officious.
So Lyon yesterday evening. My hotel (and remember I am trying to do this trip on the cheap!) was so far out of town (in a satellite suburb called Dardilly – which I am not going to recommend to anyone) that returning to my hotel by taxi would have been the only option after the game. So I decided to see how near I could get to the stadium in my hire car. When I hit a massive queue of traffic a couple of kilometres away, I decided to park up and follow some locals who were doing the same. At this point it was raining lightly. Nothing heavy duty. As luck would have it, there was a tram station after about 300 metres walk which was taking people directly to the stadium that had got off Lyon’s metro system at an adjoining station. So on I hopped and we arrived at the stadium shortly afterwards.
Now this is where it gets extreme. Suddenly, the rain turned into a genuine monsoon. And as we got off the tram, it was apparent the only available cover was restricted to two sorry looking host stands that were already jam packed full of people crowding into them. There was no escape. You got drenched. Soaked. But it gets worse. The only option is to get into the stadium and under cover. So the first checkpoint – the one with the people marking the back of your tickets with a highlighter. They suddenly decide not to let anyone else in and hold the queue until the rain lightens. Except that there is nowhere to go to find cover until they decide the rain is bearable. So we all stand there for about five minutes getting absolutely sodden. To cap that, once finally through, yours truly is unlucky enough to get the most officious searcher in Lyon. He patted me down and even demanded a take a set of car keys out of my wet pocket to demonstrate it was not a flare gun or whatever. Talk about over the top. It was still raining at this point I hasten to add, but at least one bonus – this guy would have got very wet too and was out in it longer. I tell you though, the Russians would have not got as much as a lighter into the stadium if he’d searched them all. In fact, only about 50 of them would have got in such was the speed with which he acted. Power eh? Some get a little and it goes to their head. I am damn certain he would have been coshed over the head by someone had it not been for the presence of armed security nearby. Sure, I know that security is a big thing over here, but a set of car keys?
Anyway, the brand new stadium that opened about six months ago. I remember the Stade Gerland in 1998 feeling a bit soulless to my way of thinking. It lacked character. The new one feels a lot better designed and the capacity is close to 20,000 more at almost 60,000. And despite the larger numbers, feels more intimate without the big gaps between the stands that the old Lyon stadium featured. Outside, it looks great lit up at night (after the game in this instance), but in daylight, it looks like a roof has been plonked on top of it without much thought for the design. It is pretty much in the middle of nowhere in terms of location.
As for the match, well the rain stopped, and Italy played some very successful result football. Belgium’s attacks didn’t seem to come off, and when they did, chances were missed, Lukaku being the most guilty party when the game was 1-0. One suspects they will improve, but Italy knew how to play them. If they couldn’t block them, they selectively fouled them when danger arose, as it did about three times in the second half and Belgian breaks were quickly ended at the cost of yellow cards. People don’t fancy Chelsea’s chances of winning the league next season, but I beg to differ. Antonio Conte does not have the distraction of European football, he will have most of the players that were able to win the title in 2014-15 and one thing he proved at Juventus is that he can organise a team not to lose. Expect plenty of 1-0s and a recovery from a wasted season where Mourinho lost his players after the first Premier League fixture.
There were enough chances at both ends to make it an entertaining game to these neutral eyes. It’s funny, but when it comes to international football at these tournaments, as I get older I genuinely do not care who wins, I just like to see a decent game of football. I once thought it was impossible to watch a match without rooting for one side, but that is no longer the case here anyway.
Today’s match is in St Etienne. I am staying in a hotel in Feurs, about half an hour’s drive away. Portugal play Iceland and I am looking forward to seeing the Icelanders try and make life miserable for Cristiano Ronaldo. And, ok, they could get thrashed, but I have a feeling it will be a tighter game than that. Ronaldo’s problem is that he tries to be a one man team, but he actually does need to rely on his team-mates to perform. And the number of great Portuguese players seems to have dwindled of late. Tomorrow a long drive up to Paris for the 6pm kick off (local time) at Parc des Princes.
The countryside round here is nice and hilly with some pleasing views. As it was only a short drive from Lyon, I told the SatNav to take me the quickest route in terms of distance rather than time, which meant I was sent on some obscure countryside roads and enjoyed it thoroughly. Let’s face it, motorways are generally bland, but needs must sometimes.
And before I wrap up today, I really, for the record, should write about the stadium at Marseille and a little about the match. The upgraded Velodrome, to my surprise, has not lost its magic. I loved it when it was open to the heavens, with its massive stands, especially pitch side. However, by putting a roof on it, it has not lessened the feeling that it is a special arena. The structure of the old stands is still in place and does not look to have been changed too much, although I imagine they have stuck some more hospitality boxes in (and god alone knows what the corporates made of the events on Saturday). Anyway, it works. The white surround feels a little faceless, but once you get in, no complaints, at least if you are not analysing stuff like crowd segregation. I did not that the end where it all kicked off was the one inhabited by Marseilles Sud ultras, with some artwork spray painted in places to signify it, not that I imagine the Russian toughs needed much encouragement.
As for the game, well… England did play well and did enough to have sealed the game if they had been more clinical, in the first half especially. Raheem Sterling was guilty of giving the ball back to the opposition at key moments. Thing is, I remember England playing very well in their first game in the last World Cup, but they still lost 2-1 to Italy. All I will say is that my enjoyment of the tournament is not going to be influenced by anything England do. Think I grew out of that in the late 1980s after seeing enough let downs by then. I have a feeling they might not play as well against Wales, and I could not predict what the result would be. Sure on paper, England have a better selection of players, but we all know that counts for nothing. Although the game is huge for the two nations concerend, it is not on free to air TV her in France, so I will have to find a bar that has Bein Sports in Paris on Thursday afternoon, assuming UEFA have not kicked England out of the tournament by then.
More tomorrow…. Although might be after I have attended the Romania v Switzerland match at Parc des Princes. Depends on the journey up. Thanks to all commenters for kind wishes. I hope I am giving you some flavour of what it is like to be out here. Almost goes without saying, but although both the Italian and Belgian fans were very boisterous, there was no hint of trouble in Lyon.
