ONE section of Borussia Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park was left completely empty after just 39 Villarreal supporters bought tickets in the away end.
The sides faced each other tonight to kick-off their Champions League campaigns.
One section of Signal Iduna Park was basically empty after just 39 Villarreal fans bought tickets Credit: AP
The iconic stadium can hold 81,000 fans Credit: Reuters
Villarreal had next to no one cheering them on, while Dortmund had a huge 77,000 backing them.
And it would have been more if it wasn’t for Uefa’s rules regarding away allocations.
Sign up for the Football newsletter
Thank you!
The visiting side must be given 5% of tickets.
Therefore the entire north-east corner of the stadium has remained empty tonight, after Dortmund relocated the 39 Villarreal faithfuls to the West Stand.
HE’S AD ENOUGH
Prem cult hero retires at 37 as fans say ‘streets will never forget’
Welcome player
Join Jattvibe Vegas now and claim a 100% deposit match bonus and 100 free spins
Considering they come from a city of just 54,000 people, it’s tough to blame Villarreal fans for not making the trip.
The lack of Spaniards in the ground points to the overall lack of away support culture in the Spanish game.
For years Spanish teams have brought noticeably less away fans than clubs from the rest of Europe.
Dortmund have been known for rocking atmospheres and the infamous Yellow Wall behind the goal at their huge home ground.
BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS
Their support, and the lack of away noise, helped spur their team on to a positive start in the Champions League, despite a worrying injury to one of their stars early on.
Despite being goalless at half-time, the clash finished 3-1 to the hosts.
An own-goal from former Chelsea defender Renato Veiga gave the home side the lead early in the second half, before Santiago Mourino equalised soon after.
Guinean striker Serhou Guirassy then found himself heavily involved in the closing stages of the clash.
He scored two in the space of four minutes to give his side a 3-1 lead late in the game.
The 30-year-old then thought he’d help out at the other end too, as he banged in an own-goal to send the 39 Villarreal fans wild.
