"We’re Chelsea…so f#*# all the rest"

The event I know all of you have been waiting for since we arrived on the little island…an outing to a top-level football match.  We managed to check this one off the list on Wednesday night…Chelsea versus FC Copenhagen in leg two of a Champion’s League round of sixteen tie at Stamford Bridge.  Full photo gallery here.

- The atmosphere was pretty electric…even though the result was pretty much a foregone conclusion from the start.  For those of you not familiar with the Champion’s League, it’s basically a tournament consisting of the top club teams from the top European leagues.  There is an initial group stage, from which sixteen teams qualify for the knock-out rounds.  Each knock-out round (except for the final) consists of two matches, one at each team’s home stadium, and the team that wins the aggregate score across the two matches advances.  Chelsea had previously won the first leg 2-0 in Copenhagen…so it was pretty likely they were going to advance…that and Copenhagen was pretty thoroughly overmatched.

-  A quick aside…we ventured over to London a bit early and happened to stop in the Victoria and Albert Museum.  It was pretty cool…if you like that type of thing. The usual stuff…old furniture, paintings, sculptures, Michelangelo knockoffs, dog portraits, and an expansive collection of wrought iron gates and lawn ornaments that puts the outdoor section of Lowe’s to shame.

Museum chandelier...nothing like the one in Phantom of the Opera

 -  On our way to the stadium, we did what I thought was our best impersonation of sardines on the underground.  Let’s just say I’ve rarely been as intimate with a person as I was with the little guy standing in front of me on the ride.  I felt bad…it was almost like I was molesting him, but I really had no control over the situation.

-  Anyway, we finally arrived at the station…exhaled…and made our way over to Stamford Bridge.  We were still early…as in first one’s in the stadium early…but that’s pretty much par for the course.

Stamford Bridge

Us looking marginally like vampires

A bit early...

Just a bit...

-  Overall, the game experience was pretty cool.  We were sitting (well, standing) in the diehard Chelsea section (i.e., the cheap seats) behind one of the goals.  Having never been to a professional soccer game before, I was a bit worried that the view would be terrible, but it wasn’t that bad…and was great when the action was at our end. Interestingly, our tickets clearly stated, “No persistent standing”… which turned out to be the least enforced rule of all-time…our section didn’t sit down once. The game itself was fairly sloppy.  Chelsea was way more talented and was kind of coasting.  Unfortunately, Copenhagen had a near miss in the first half when a free kick clanged off the post. Would have been nice if that would have gone in as it would have made for a much more interesting game. And it would have been nice to see at least one goal (cue the “soccer is boring” complaints here).

Pregame

Corner kick action shot

And another (yes, that is Didier Drogba on the left)

-  Unlike the level of play, the crowd certainly did not disappoint. Seemingly mild-mannered Brits turned into freaking animals when the opening whistle sounded.  I mean, my brother looks tame compared to these folks. We were lucky enough to be in the singing section as well, so we got to learn the numerous Chelsea songs. Their official fight song gives the Miami Dolphins one a run for its money on sheer cheesiness. The many others are fairly simple chants set to popular tunes (most of which I can’t quite place…except for When the Saints Go Marching In)…all of which utilized words that rhyme with buck, bunt, and banker in generous doses. Pretty inspired stuff.

-  After the match we did an even better sardine impression on the return underground trip. When the train pulled in, we were towards the back of the queue and I was prepared to wait for the next one.  Michelle had other ideas and we managed to squeeze in…then about six other people somehow squeezed in behind us.  I’m pretty sure some of them must have had their arms and legs hanging out the side.  When we arrived at our transfer station…I moon walked my way out of the train…out of necessity and because that’s how I roll.

-  All and all, it was a good night.  Would highly recommend it just for the experience.  It did make me miss my spectator sports though…almost like giving an addict a whiff of the hard stuff.  That stadium energy gets me every time.