Respectful but safe and confident. This was Hansi Flick yesterday when asked if the Dortmund could go back tonight (21.00 hours / Movistar+) A tie that Barcelona has very headed after 4-0 of the first leg. «I trust … My players, “said the German coach, who warned:” We are lucky to arrive with advantage because tomorrow’s game It will be very difficult. I want my team to enjoy playing one of the most important teams in Europe. We want to make a good game and maintain the 4-0 level of the first leg ».
Flick’s warnings are not facing the gallery. He knows the rival of his years in the Bundesliga and above all he is aware of the environmental pressure exerted by the ‘Die Gelwe Band’better known as ‘Yellow Wall’a tribune with standing squares, with the largest capacity in Europe, accommodating 25,000 of the most fans of the German club. Famous on the continent, the Stüdtribüne of the Signal Iduna Parkthe commercially known Westfalenstadion since 2005, is able to rival in mystique with Anfield and presumes to have the highest angle of inclination (37 degrees), similar to that of a trampoline of ski jumps.
The journalist David Bernabéu The group stage phase match was covering for Mediaset for Mediaset that ended with zero draw between Catalans and Germans. «Of the fields that I have visited, it is in the Top-3 together with that of Liverpool and Celtic de Glasgow in terms of environmental pressure and intimidation to the rival. What is the yellow wall has no possible comparisonthere is no paragon in any other stadium in Europe. It is unique. At the level of visual impact it is above anything else. I wanted to take a picture there, I saw the level of slope now I cannot understand how so many people can fit and that nothing happens. It’s brutal, ”he recalls.
His intimacy effect About the rival is one of the buzas that the Dortmund handles to turn the tie, although Barcelona has not lost In its only three visits so far (1-1 in the Super Cup in 1998, 0-0 in the 2019-20 and 2-3 Champions League and 2-3 this same season in the group stage). It will be crowded From an hour before the meeting starts (curiously there are no assigned seats, but everyone knows what their site) and one of its striking mosaics will give the stands more color. The ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’, as in Anfield, is also its anthem, adopted in 2016.
Manolo Oliverosnarrator of the Barcelona matches for the Cope chain has been several times in the Signal Iduna Park and, although it recognizes the great atmosphere of the Südtribüne, demystifies the power of the yellow wall: «It is impressionantand. They are the whole game standing, singing, 25,000 spectators for a total capacity of 80,000. That is, more than a third of the field. But for me, the stadium where I have seen The best atmosphere has been in San Paolowhen Maradona’s Naples won the second Scudetto in 1990 ».
An argument that also shares Alfredo Martínezwhich offers the matches of Barcelona and the Spanish team in Wave Zero: «What attracts attention is how vertical the yellow wall is. Very straight, towards the sky, and the people encourage very much. I do not say that I impress, but it is striking to see so many people crowded by encouraging. In modern football it is difficult to impress But it is one of the most colorful, noisy and bullanguero stages that I know and that I have lived ».
The journalistic analysis coincides with the reading made in the costumes. Do not forget that Barcelona is accustomed to playing matches of the highest demand in suffocating stages and under great pressure. The closest example could be found in the return of the Cup semifinals, when the Barca ones beat in the Metropolitan before Atlético (0-1) after drawing (4-4) in Montjuic. There they exceeded the pressure from which it is considered the best fans in Spain for its unconditional support for the team during the 90 minutes, regardless of the result. «It is true, we are going to play in a fantastic stadium, with a Incredible atmosphere. But it is something that we like very much. The atmosphere is wonderful, but it is something that we must take advantage of because it opens a lot of windows and that gives an extra motivation to the team, ”said Hansi Flick yesterday.
In the booth of Dortmund They are also realistic. «We are aware of the situation. We want to show tomorrow a completely different face from that of the first leg and win the game. Miracles occurbut we also know that Barcelona has not lost any official game this year, ”acknowledged its coach Niko Kovac.
