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Reply | Berlin
at 11:45 18 Jul 2017
As you wish. Probably best avoided after the game though. |
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Reply | Berlin
at 10:52 17 Jul 2017
Please refer to the post I just made. Would advise you to avoid the Abseitsfalle, especially in big groups. The Union Tanke is acutally bigger than the Abseitsfalle and a lot more welcoming. |
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Reply | Berlin
at 10:47 17 Jul 2017
Hello all,
My name is Andrew and I help run the English language site about Union Berlin.
Union is a great place to watch football and hopefully there will be a few hundred of you making the trip. Weather forecast looks good for Saturday.
First of all here's a bit of practical information you might useful: http://union-berlin.com/sample-page/...o-the-stadium/
That's basically all you need to know on getting to the ground. Unlike other German clubs, your transport ticket is not included with your match ticket so you'll have to make sure you're covered. Kick-off is at 15.30 and there are plenty of place to get something to eat and drink near the ground, so if you're coming from the centre of town I'd suggest making your way out 2 or 3 hours before the game.
Some advice re bars and places to drink. Union fans on the whole are friendly and will most likely come up and make conversation, ask you about QPR and tell you how much they love Liverpool (don't ask). The best places to get a drink are both on the walk from the station to the stadium. The Hauptmann von Köpenick pub on the corner directly opposite the station (turn right at the bottom of the stairs) is an old-school smokey boozer with Union memorabilia plastered on the walls. If the weather's good, the Union Tanke is an outdoor bar about 500m down the road where you'll also be welcome. They do also do good food from the BBQ.
There is another pub called the Abseitsfalle, which is traditionally the main Ultras bar. It's just past the railway bridge as you begin the walk through the forest. After the Crystal Palace friendly 2 years ago there were a couple of incidents there with moody ultra kids hanging round outside trying to stop Palace fans coming in. A couple idiots threw plastic pint cups at some Palace fans waiting on the other side of the road. We tried to reason with them but unfortunately they still seem to hold this perception that English football fans are all game for a scrap and they seemed to think they were rightfully defending their turf (from families, women and kids in full replica gear). As soon as a burly 6ft Palace fan tried to get in they melted and said nothing to stop him. As a season-ticket holder for 5 years drinking in there this was the first time I had seen anything of the kind and we don't drink there anymore. Thankfully after moving on to the pubs I mentioned above we saw Palace and Union fans swapping songs and shirts (despite some being 2 sizes too small) well into the evening and the majority of fans went home with a great impression of the club.
So my advice would be to stick to the pubs outlined above. There are no rules on away fans at the Abseitsfalle, but it's really nothing special and not worth going through the hassle that those Palace fans went through.
You should look to get in the ground fairly early as it's a fantastic experience. The ground itself will be redeveloped in the next 3 years and many people fear that it will lose some of its charm. Drinks in the ground are slightly more expensive but still reasonable, and of course you can drink (and smoke) on the terrace.
After the game I'd recommend heading into Köpenick old town, one of the most picturesque parts of the city (10 mins walk from the ground). On the Schlossplatz there is a great brewery which claims to be Germany's smallest.
The club shop is on Bahnhofstrasse - turn left at the bottom of the stairs as you come out of Köpenick S Bahn station and follow the main road for 200m. There are also trucks dotted around the ground selling official stuff. Unfortunately there isn't a club shop in the city yet.
Interest in this hasn't been huge, I would expect no more than 10,000 so unfortunately you won't get the full atmosphere, but it should be relatively loud still. Union were promotion candidates up until the final few games of the season and start as one of the favourites in a weakened division this year, so I'd put them as slight favourites (we beat Palace 2-0 a couple of years ago).
Berlin is a fantastic and relatively city but common sense applies. Keep your wits about you and try not to #### the locals off, you'll have a great time.
If you've got any further questions feel free to ask them here or you can write to me on twitter - @BerlinYellow
Cheers. |
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