What's the worst ground in la Liga?
Tuesday 19 January 2010 11:00
Like many of the old boots that turn up on Spain’s ever-popular gossip programmes boasting of a night of passion with a bullfighter or Sergio Ramos (or both), a large chunk of la Liga’s grounds are either in need of an extensive facelift or are saving up for one.
Both Real Madrid and Barcelona are looking at tarting up their homes, whilst Atlético Madrid and Athletic Bilbao have bold plans for new stadiums that they hope to move to any time between 2013 and 3160.
However, an awful lot depends on how long it takes for the institutions to both raise the capital and - most importantly of all in Spain - make sure that the right cash-stuffed envelope reaches the right planning official at the local council.
Espanyol recently moved from the stray cat-invested Montjuic into their Cornella ground but are still just as useless, whereas Valencia currently have two homes - the Old Mestalla, which they are desperate to flog, and the New Mestalla whose construction has ground to a halt due to a lack of funds.
Hammers (and all tools) down at the New MestallaSo the blog thought it was high time to start the hunt for la Liga’s worst stadium whilst many of the decrepit old wrecks are still with us.
And in doing so, La Liga Loca has been far and wide and canvassed opinions of those whose travels around the country have brought them into contact with the most unsympathetic supporters in the scabbiest of stands.
The results have thrown up nominations from all over Spain, making it a fierce competition for this most coveted of awards.
Atlético Madrid’s beloved home was the choice of one lady touchline correspondent who fondly remembers fans yelling “wh*re! wh*re! wh*re!” at her throughout one encounter.
It was a delightful experience that certainly rivalled a trip to Betis, where the charming fans are “always battered” and once spat on her head.
Up north, the considerably more cultured supporters of Osasuna opted instead for lobbing a sandwich at her bonce.
Betis’ name comes up again from another grumbler who recalls the lovely locals “pouring beer on my head from 30 feet,” whilst the Vicente Calderón gets a second nomination with the not unreasonable claim that it is “wide open, cold and populated by clowns who make a virtue of their own ignorance.”
Oh dear.
A little further to the south of the Rojiblanco lair, Getafe’s Coliseum gets a pummelling with one comment that fans will only enjoy their visit there if they happen to like “huge, grim empty spaces.”
Oop north, Athletic’s San Mamés receives nominations for being “hostile," "uncomfortable” and “bleak."
Valladolid’s ground is “as cold as f**k” with another recollection seconding this stance by describing the José Zorrilla as being “the coldest I’ve ever been in a stadium” whilst Real Sociedad’s home supposedly has a “pretty c**p atmosphere."
Zorilla: Colder than OldhamMurcia’s fairly new home has very little love, as it seems to be located “in the a**e end of nowhere” where “you can forget about getting out of the car park until 2am.”
A slightly more positive description given to the blog reports that it is “a lovely ground, but smells of s**t from the surrounding fertiliser, has a 30,000 capacity and one access road – which is shared by a cinema complex and shopping centre.”
Almería’s ground is said to be a “soulless, running track-possessing, out of town hellhole.”
One of the lucky few to have made the trip there described it simply as “a wasted experience.”
Mallorca’s Ono Estadi also appears on the list of shame due to its out-of-town location and complete lack of atmosphere, although the latter is something that both Real Madrid and Barcelona can boast.
But La Liga Loca suspects that these rants are just the tip of the iceberg of loathing and is looking for yet more nominations from you the viewer for the worst ground in la Liga.
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About Tim Stannard
La Liga Loca is the playground for the evil, more childish half of Tim Stannard’s psyche to be let loose. The other 50% is a contributor to FourFourTwo magazine, Football365, Sabotage Times as well as other publications such as UEFA Champions Magazine and When Saturday Comes. He is also a regular guest on Real Madrid TV’s Extra Time show and works as a TV producer extraordinaire for hire. To contact Tim directly email laligaloca@yahoo.co.uk