FC Biel-Bienne v FC Winterthur
Live football and live music are two passions of mine. Two passions that normally sit together quite happily without any clashes of interest. But once a season I find myself up a mountain near Bern having a great time listening to bands while FC Winterthur have a fixture somewhere and so try to tempt me away.
Last season they were at Locarno. Too far from Bern to really consider leaving the Gurten Festival and returning later. They won 5:0 so that put pressure on this year's decision on whether to miss some of the music.
This year Winti were playing Biel-Bienne in a match that re-opened their Gurzelen Stadium. Biel is just an hour away from the top of the mountain, it was a Swiss stadium that we hadn't yet seen and it was a re-opening. Obviously we were schlepping down the mountain.
So could the Gurzelen live up to the Stade de la Maldière, where Biel had taken up temporary residence as their stadium was being renovated? Well, as it happens they hadn't done a bloody thing! You see, Biel-Bienne were told by the Swiss FA that the Gurzelen did not meet Swiss Challenge League standards. What Biel-Bienne then had to do was to demonstrate a viable plan for refurbishing the stadium. They didn't have to actually do anything. But they obviously failed to get an acceptable plan together and so were vanquished to Neuchâtel.
Points Time
Getting There
7 / 10. As ever no problem at all on the trains but it's not all that clear where to go once where to go once you arrive in Biel. We knew there was a bus, it was just a case of finding where from. Luckily it was Winti fans to the rescue as we bumped into a party of them and were soon on the right bus.
Friendliness
6 / 10. The good bit was the stadium security. We arrived direct from the Gurten Festival and so had some things in our Rucksacks that weren't appropriate for a football stadium. But we'd separated what we needed in the stadium from the rest of the junk that we had, and the security guys were happy to look after our bags while we were watching the game.
The bad bit? Portable toilets. See what I mean hadn't done a bloody thing?
Safety
9 / 10. Not much of a problem with safety. The only fencing separates home and away supporters, which is fair enough. The terracing is at a safe height. The only thing missing for me are crush barriers. Also the stadium allegedly holds 15000 spectators, which might be a few too many.
View
9 / 10. The only question would be whether you could see if the stadium was full.
Atmosphere
5 / 10. Very disappointing. Apart from the match ball being parachuted in and the banner in the photo, there was nothing to say this was a re-opening. Quite sad really, that the town couldn't turn out to welcome their football team back home. In the event, only 1580 fans did so. Hopefully when renovations are made, more will take interest.
Refreshments
5 / 10. The same standard stuff that you get at every Swiss ground but at least all the drinks were refrigerated. The beer was Heinekin, which says it all!
Overall
41 / 60. No, not as good as Stade de la Maladière
The Match
Well with the stadium offering little to write home about, could the match be any better. Sadly not.
Winti were coming into the match having lost their opener away at Schaffhausen. On that subject, I'm afraid Stadion Breite is going to have to take some penalty points (not that I'm bitter at all). In the away end of the ground, the first challenge was getting beer. Winti brought 800 or so away supporters with them, which isn't bad for a team who get about 2000 for a home game. First game of the season plus a local Derby, surely a reasonable away attendance could be expected. Well, one beer pump served the 800, very slowly. Many Winti fans missed the entire first half queuing for beer. That takes four points off Satdion Breite's refreshment score I'm afraid. The away fans were also well and truly fenced in. Two points from safety. Needless to say, Schaffhausen will now think twice about beating Winti in our next meeting!
But I digress from the match against Biel at the Gurzelen. It all started well enough. Winti soon were flowing in the first half and wave upon wave of Zürcher attacks were being made with very little in the way of opposition. This is why are left the rock festival. To enjoy a sunny day and your team dominating their opponents finishing up 3:0 winners.
Well, that's what would have happened had Winti converted the countless chances that they made. Instead they led just by a single goal at half time, scored through a familiar combination of a Stefan Iten cross and Patrick Bengondo header.
Happy at half time? Sure, but you did have that feeling that Biel's determination to play absolutely no part in the game couldn't continue. It didn't and the home side were much better after the break. They were more aggressive than Winterthur and were pressing for possession much higher up the pitch. On the hour, Biel der deservedly equalized. Bengondo, back defending was surprised when Sejemovic nipped in from behind him to steal the ball as he was trying to clear. Bengondo pulled his opponent back and the referee pointed to the spot. Di Nardo beat Studer comfortably with the penalty.
Seven minutes later and Biel had the lead. A mistake by Sereinig was confounded as he and Patrick Schuler both tried to close down the ball carrier, meaning that somewhere there was a free man. He was actually in the penalty area and Giuseppe Morello found Christian Miani with a simple low cross. The finish was easy.
Winti hadn't been able to cope with Biel's improved second half commitment, and it was going to get worse. Janko Pacar, on to try to provide more attacking teeth in the final minutes did well breaking on the left side. A tug back on his shirt resulted in the young striker taking a silly kick at his opponent. Red card and Winti were out of the game. They weren't handling Biel with 11 men, so 10 was a hopeless situation.
2:1 to Biel and the pre-season title favourites were looking nothing like a potential super league side.
Stop Press
Recently we also had the pleasure of once again visiting the Paul Grüninger Stadium (SC Brühl) for a second round Swiss Cup match. When we went into the ground we noted that tickets were either seated or standing. They were not home and away. Winti fans and Brühl fans mixed happily on the terraces enjoying friendly banter exactly how football should be. That is with the exception of Brühl beating Winti on penalties of course. I can also report Brühl are the first team to react to the rubbish I write here. I noted that Brühl were letting in under 9's for free while at Winti, free entry is granted up until the age of 16. Brühl agreed on the value of attracting supporters while they are young and so have changed their prices.
More points are going Brühl's way on friendliness and atmosphere categories (you see, I'm not such a bad loser!).
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