If you are a sports fan-whether its baseball, Amercian football, basektball, ice hockey or soccer (the real football!)-you know that there is nothing like seeing your favorite team playing live in the stadium. Those of you who know me know that I am not a sports fan at all; I don´t watch sports on TV or follow any particular team. However, even I can get excited to see a live match. There is something truly thrilling about being in the middle of it all and feeling all the excitement. Really nothing like it!
After Spain´s World Cup win this summer, I decided it was time for me to go see a match. It´s actually surprising that it has taken me 4 1/2 years to see one, especially since the stadium is litterally in my backyard. So I finally got to experience my very first fútbol match (soccer to us Americans) a couple weeks ago and it did not disappoint. Well, it did a litlle bit since Valencia lost, but still. The experience was well worth it despite the loss and I would do it again. If you are a European or Spanish futbol fan, you are most likely familiar with the two top teams, Barcelona and Real Madrid (or even Atlético Madrid which is currently 3rd). Valencia is not one of the top teams, but that doesn´t stop Valencians from being fierce and loyal fans and cheerleaders.
One of the main reasons I wanted to go a match was to see the stadium, known as Mestalla. As I mentioned, it´s literraly a stone´s throw away from my apartment, only a couple blocks walk. Having opened its doors for the first time in 1923, it has been the home to Valencia CF for over 100 years. While it is not a very big stadium-it only seats around 49,000, it is the oldest and most historic stadium still currently operating in La Liga, the top professional league in Spain. Why is it called Mestalla? Well I assumed it was named after the neighborhood where it is located, but actually it was named for the canal that ran right next to where the stadium was built. While the canal can no longer be seen it still flows deep underground. It also apparently is the steepest stadium with a slope of 34-44 degrees. Having climbed up the stairs to the top, and peered down below, I can attest to how steep it is!
Unfortunately, the end of the historic stadium is near as they say this is the last season in this Mestalla stadium. For the 2027-2028 season and beyond, the plan is to move to a brand new stadium, called New (Nou) Mestalla. They have been building it since 2007 but construction stalled in 2008 for 16 years due to financial struggles. Aside from the current stadium being in my backyard, I also wanted to experience a match in this stadium before it was too late.
I have to say I will be sad to no longer have this be the home to the Valencia team. It´s hard to imagine my neighborhood without it. Life in my neighborhood is pretty much built around the stadium. Fairly quiet during the week, on the weekend when there is a game, the neighborhood transforms itself into one big neighborhood block party as pregame partying in the streets is famous around here. Who knows what will happen once the team officially moves….they say that the stadiun is going to be demolished and high rise appartments will go in it´s place. I hope that is NOT the case, and if Valencians have any say in it, I have a feeling that won´t actually happen. But still, it won´t be home to Valencia CF. So whatever happens it will be sad.
So, the match. For those wondering, no, I did not go alone (I don´t need to see a game that badly!). I took my dear friend Beat, who is a huge sports and fútbol fan, as my plus one. Although he doesn´t really follow Valencia CF, he loves fútobol in general and so this was a long overdue experience for him. After having hamburgers from our favorite local spot at my apartment with his wife Vivian, Beat and I treked over to the stadium through the hordes of people celebrating pre-game in the streets outside. It took us a little bit to find the right entrance but we did and then had to scramble up the 19 flights of stairs to the top of the stadium-AKA the nosebleed section. Something like 9 stories high. Yikes! It was quite the climb. But the view from the top was spectacular. We arrived at sunset so you could see the crimson colored sky in the distance. We sat above one of the goals so it was hard to see the many attempts at goal in the second half, but since they didn´t score much we didn´t really miss much, sorry to say.
Valencia played San Sebastian, and as I said, Valencia lost. Score was 2-3. I really thought they might pull off at least a tie in the second half, but San Sebastian pulled out all the stops and got the win in right at the end. But despite the loss, the atmosphere in the stadium was truly thrilling. The chanting and singing and just overall happy atmosphere was intoxicating and contagious. A very fun experience and one I would do again although I think next time it will have to be in the new stadium. Oh well. At least I got to see one match in this historic stadium!! Here are some pics from the match.
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