The next winter break friendly was down next to the Gibraltar border at the Estadio Municipal de La Linea de la Concepcion. I presume the locals refer to it as the Linny. It’s a proper ground in that it’s the home of fourth tier club Real Balompedica Linese rather than a training complex. Or at least it will be a proper ground once the ongoing construction works have finished.
The current venue looks nothing like the photos that I’d seen, and it appears that the entire ground is being rebuilt whilst the existing pitch remains in-situ. Fortunately this was my first time at the Linny, but if I’d been before I’d have no idea whether to have counted this match as a re-visit or a new stadium.
Three stands were just about finished, although the main stand to my right was having part of its roof manoeuvred into position as the game went on. The stand to my left was a lot less advanced and at the foundation stage only. That meant that I got a good view out to sea where cargo ships were sat a mile or two out, presumably waiting for their turn to dock.
It was free to get in, although I had no choice of stand and was directed to a seat behind the goal, looking into direct sunlight. It would have been better if I’d brought some sunglasses or even that truckers cap that I’d won in a raffle at some non-league game a few months earlier.
The fixture was between Hamburg and Zurich. There was a minute’s silence before the game for former Hamburg captain Franz Beckenbauer. It wasn’t announced so it was only when I noticed the players bowing their heads that I realised what was going on.
I’d forgotten that Beckenbauer played for Hamburg. He’s someone that I’d always associate with Bayern Munich and I suppose New York Cosmos to a certain extent, but a quick search online confirmed that he’d had a two year stint with Hamburg in the early eighties, winning yet another Bundesliga. I suppose in my mind Hamburg is Kevin Keegan’s team, in his curly perm days.
There were a few Hamburg fans around me with their blue shirts, hats and scarfs and maybe two hundred spectators in total. Hamburg had the best of the first half, scoring once and hitting both the post and the bar. Zurich managed a goal of their own, so it was one-each at the break.
I was pleased to find the food kiosk open and bought a jamon baguette and a coffee. There were plenty of chances in the second half with Hamburg going ahead late on before a curler into the corner five minutes from time salvaged a draw for the Swiss.
Trail of the Lion King 