BayArena, home of Bayer Leverkusen based in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and play their football in the Bundesliga. Nicknamed “Die Schwarzroten” which is Black & Reds in German.
It’s the weekend that me and most of Wisewood JFC have been waiting for! The German exchange visit to Bochum!! For the first time ever, this blog is going international!!! Vfl Bochum is in the itinerary! The third country to feature and hopefully the first of many international blogs to come!
It certainly is going to be the longest journey as we set off from Owlerton Stadium and head all the way down the M1 and onto the M25 towards the M2 onto the A2 until there is no more land left… Through Passport checkpoint and onto the ferry. 1 hour and 30 minutes later and we are in France! Now for the long trip across Belgium and the Netherlands… A lovely little sleep on the bus… 2 hours left…? *SIGH*
We’re finally here in Bochum at the clubhouse of DJK Adler Reimke and they are all here to give us a heroes welcome! Matthias & Angie it has been a long time!
In the clubhouse with Brian now and it is nice to meet Daniel better known as “Teflon” after being given this nickname due to some poor goalkeeping in the games over the years between Wisewood & Adler Reimke… I wonder what happened there?! As Brian is telling Daniel what I do on a Saturday he says “I have a spare ticket for Bayer Leverkusen tomorrow” wait WHAT?!
So it now looks like I won’t be playing in the adults game tomorrow, I am now off to Bayer Leverkusen vs Eintracht Frankfurt!! COME ON!!! 2 games this weekend now roll on Saturday! There has never been an away win in the history of DJK Adler Reimke and Wisewood, could tomorrow be the day that we win on German soil?! It helps that I won’t be playing!
Saturday is here! Some of us are feeling a bit worse for wear after the antics in the clubhouse and the travel… And I’m one of them! I’ve missed breakfast… Back to the clubhouse, it’s FOOTBALL DAY! 12:30pm and it’s me, Daniel, Vuru, Marco and my old Wisewood colleague Jamie with his girlfriend Beth who are heading out to the tube station in Reimke… “Ein Minuten…” Uh-oh 1 minute before the Underground leaves…… But we have made it!
We are now in Herne which is another very popular place for the groundhoppers! Westfalia Herne being a very popular ground for Laurence and Dave Woodings but now we wait for the train across to Leverkusen. “15 minute delay” well isn’t that typical?! Just like in England… Trains eh?! Oh well, let’s get this day started! It’s FIEGE time! Pre-match beers!
The train is finally here and we are en route to Leverkusen! 1 hour and a few Fieges later and we are here in Leverkusen! A short walk later and there it is! The BayArena! Beautiful! €40 for this one! Das is gut! A reminder that drinking is allowed on the terraces in Germany! I’ll need a new liver after this weekend…
The players are warming up, Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Callum Hudson-Odoi start for Leverkusen and managed by Xabi Alonso! One of my favourite Liverpool players over the years and one of the best passers of the ball that the game has ever seen in my book! The Eintracht Frankfurt fans are in fantastic spirits so far!
The Leverkusen anthem echoes around the ground as the players come out to the field! This is beautiful! The players are ready! International groundhopping is off and running for me today! Let’s have it!
Kick Off! The atmosphere created by the Eintracht Frankfurt fans so far is biblical! The Leverkusen ultras are in good spirits now as well, I don’t want to give away any hint of ratings so far… but this is amazing! An early injury to a Leverkusen player and the jeers are getting pretty deafening around the ground!
10 minutes in and Amine Adli plays a 1-2 on the halfway line, he gets to the ball first before the Frankfurt defender, he gets past another one and he races into the box, it’s Amine ADLI… HE’S SCORED!!! He pokes it past the keeper! THE FIRST GOAL OUTSIDE THE UK FOR ME! 1-0! “I like it I like I like like like like it! Her we go GO! ROCKING ALL OVER THE WORLD!”
2 minutes later and Frankfurt play down the right, it’s played across low and Philipp Max is there… Good save! Good chance for Frankfurt there!
24th minute and Amine Adli wins the ball back on the left and he gets into the box, he plays it across… the Leverkusen man slips and Frankfurt clear. How unlucky!
4 minutes later and Florian Wirtz is away for Leverkusen, he squares it for Amine Adli to shoot from just outside the box… Saved! Leverkusen win it back, it’s worked to Amine Adli again to control and volley… Ooooh! Just over!
35 minutes now and Leverkusen come forward, it’s threaded through to Moussa Diaby who’s in the box on the right, he shoots… AND he scores!! 2-0! Fantastic work from Bayer Leverkusen! I think the Frankfurt defender may have had something on that but it’s not enough and Bayer Leverkusen double their lead!
42 minutes now and Leverkusen play down the right, it’s played in and set up for the shot from the edge of the box… Good save! Corner, in it comes… Cleared by Frankfurt.
Into stoppage time in the first half now and Leverkusen play a long ball looking for Amine Adli who controls and gets a shot away… It’s saved! Bayer Leverkusen finish the half 2-0 up and it’s now time for my round… €40 again… Oh well, I’m on holiday!
Second half, 52 gone and Leverkusen play down the left, it’s played across for Florian Wirtz to shoot… The keeper parries it away.
75 minutes now and Frankfurt play down the left, it’s played in low, Djibril Sow controls and shoots… That’s a brilliant finish!!! He curls it into the bottom corner! Frankfurt have one back! A few fans around us enjoyed that one and so did Teflon Dan! 2-1! Game on!
81 minutes gone and Frankfurt are chasing the equaliser here! They have it down the left, the cross, Randal Kolo Muani goes for it… He’s been clipped there! Referee waves it away… Frankfurt fans not happy! The Keeper catches the cross and throws it out! That should be a penalty for me!
Into stoppage time and Leverkusen break forward, it’s played forward to Sardar Azmoun, he in behind the last defender and he’s in… He’s around the keeper… AND HE SEALS THE POINTS FOR BAYER LEVERKUSEN!!! 3-1! Game over now!!
That is the game! A show of appreciation from both sets of fans who were fantastic here today! And good times never seemed so good! SO GOOD SO GOOD SO GOOD! Back on the train to the clubhouse in Bochum. 6-3 to Adler Remke? It wouldn’t have been that if I had played… It would’ve been 6-0 to them I bet…
FT: Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 10/10 – Loved it! All the hoppers who have been to Germany swear by this place and they aren’t wrong! Both sets of fans were sensational today! Rocking throughout!
- The Ground: 10/10 – Beautiful stadium! The roof is unique and amazing and it’s just a beautiful ground! Enough said!
- Expense: 8/10 – €40 for the ticket and €40 for a round, was it worth it? Nearly… A bit much still but better than the Premier League that’s for sure!
- Overall Experience: 10/10 – Loved it!!! I had a great time with everyone today! I hope this is the start of a friendship with Teflon Dan! But I have to say I don’t think drinking on the terraces is for me… I threw up on the train on the way back…
38/40