So having spent a cultured afternoon in Casa de Pilatos Eoin and I headed into the unknown, on a bus to watch Real Betis (one of two La Liga sides based in Seville) play Getafe. Now this was particularly of interest to Eoin as a West Ham fan because ex-Hammer Pablo Fornals now plays for Betis. Indeed we had spent a fair part of the previous afternoon in a shop buying a Real Betis shirt and have Fornals' name printed on the back (for a very princely sum - that is how these clubs make money!)
I had never been to a football match outside of the UK so was interested to see what it was like. And the atmosphere was indeed very different. I mean English fans create a great atmosphere, but this was something else! The photo below is just of Real Betis fans dwelling under a motorway bride and singing songs before the match. And if you are wondering why they would be in a carbon monoxide laden environment rather than out in the open air, remember this is summer in Seville. It was still in the thirties even in the early evening.
Inside the stadium there were two disappointments for Eoin. Pablo Fornals was only on the bench (and didn't even appear as substitute) and there was no alcohol on sale
As I said, the atmosphere was something else. Eoin had got us tickets with the ultras, so the most potty home fans. And although there were seats, and this is an impressive all seater 60,000 stadium that was not much short of capacity, the ultras don't sit in them. Now in England it is not that uncommon to find that away fans in particular don't sit in their seats but prefer to stand. But here they don't only all stand, but they stand ON their seats!
The other thing about the atmosphere is the noise. Now in an English game you expect chanting and its loud, but here it is at a higher pitch. Because in addition to chanting they like to whistle. And got that does the eardrums in!
For the record, Real Betis won 1-0. Slightly disappointing game football wise, at least as soon as Betis got their goal just before half-time. The home side looked the better, and Getafe just didn't have the ability to get a goal unless it was on the break, where they did look dangerous. But once Real had the lead they played it a bit safe and the game rather fizzled out as spectacle.
To be fair to Eoin (who had sobered up a lot having not had his pre-match consumption topped up for two hours) he got us back into Seville magnificently. The only options (apart from over an hour of walking that he wasn't willing to contemplate) were buses and that was a competitive endeavour with nearly 60,000 people steaming out. But we go the first bus that came and away we went. In time indeed for us to go out for dinner to top off a very fine birthday for me. As yes, I turned 64.
"Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm 64?" (That will only make sense if you know the Beatles song....)
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