'Berec Syndrome

Week 24: FC Slovan Liberec 2 - 0 FC Zbrojovka

Following last week's optimistic, Lazarus display I feel sufficiently positive to undergo an overdue away day. With Zbrojovka travelling to North Bohemia to face the current champions, I choose to join. Unlike last time, I chose to make my own way there, not following the (away) crowd, as it were. Incorporating a brief stop off in Prague, four and a half hours is all that's required to reach Liberec by coach.

Der hall of town.

Liberec is not far from the German border, and would be considered part of the Sudetenland - and is known as Reichenberg in German. It has an industrial heritage, and the town's tourist office does not open at weekends. Thankfully, a very helpful girl in the local transport information office helped me find my way around, and provided a mini English language guide to the town. It was from 2009, but little has changed since then. I should also mention that Liberec does not make an appear in the latest edition of Lonely Planet.

There's still a few things to see and do. The centre-piece of the centre is the town hall, and the town boasts an impressive array of shopping centres. I have been told it is popular spot for tourist shoppers, and there are a noticeable number of foreign registration plates dotted around the town. The other main attraction (which I saw from some distance) is the Jested Tower, an antenna tower built atop of a mountain. It seems to be a source of local pride, and the skyline of the tower is featured on the badge of Slovan Liberec.

Slovan Liberec. I've seen them twice this season, losing both in Brno and Olomouc. The champions that struggled to rekindle their form earlier on in the season, and have now left things too late to mount a serious title charge. I was surprised to learn that they have won the league three times since the turn of the decade, and that's Sparta's dominance of the 90s heeded to an open, competitive league.

The home of the champions, Stadion U Nisy (literally Stadium near the Nisa river), has a capacity of just under ten thousand. It's sadly quite run down now, with the concrete steps crumbling. The main stand is built into the hillside, and the team dugouts are underneath the front walkway. I can't fully see the near touchline from my seat. In some ways, you are on top of the action, and there's no running track to subdue the atmosphere.

Grey skies, blue shirts.

There's not that many away fans today. I'd say maybe 50-75 in the away section, but there are a few Zbrojovka scarves mingling with the home fans. It's quite a laid back atmosphere with an older crowd than we that usually turn up in Brno.



Zbrojovka are unable to build on last week's result. A mistake-laden performance sees the away side lose 2-0. Slovan look a decent if unspectacular side, comfortable on their own turf. Both goals were well-taken by Michael Rabusic - a player signed by Liberec from Brno at the start of last season. He elected to make a point of celebrating on both occasions.

Homeward bound (via Hradec Kralove - a nice little town), and onto Banik Ostrava at home next week. A crucial, must-win tie beckons.