I went to the Brazil v Portugal game at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium last night, pretty good game for a friendly there was a bit of bite in some of the challenges and a couple of yellow cards which don’t normally get handed out in friendlies.
I don’t know what the normal vibe is with Brazilians and Portuguese but the crowd was fairly evenly split at last nights game and things got a little heated where I was seating after Portugal went 2-0 up, between an older Portugal fan and a young Brazilian who had been mouthing off all game to people in the crowd. The young guy said something that flicked the older fan’s switch and he was all crotch grabbing, finger stabbing while the Brazilian counted with the flat palm on middle of raised arm ‘fuck you’ gesture. It was all pretty funny to watch until the stewards surrounded the Brazilian and took him out. Here are a few random thoughts on the game.
Cristiano Ronaldo - first time I’ve seen him play live and for all the diving he does (look at the Spurs game on Sunday) he was the most exciting player on the pitch, each time he got the ball everyone stood up even though the Brazil fans booed his every touch. He looks lightening quick, seems that yard faster than all the other players even running with the ball, very skillful, gets involved and does take a lot of challenges. Funny moment when he was on the edge of the Brazil box and did about six step overs on the spot, then Fred came charging in from the side and hacked his standing leg away.
Kaka - the second time I’ve watched him live and he looks pure class. Doesn’t have fantastic speed but superb control and skill, could have done with better forwards ahead of him to work with. Reminds me of how Bergkamp used to play.
Brazil fans can’t stay in one place - I was on the end of a row next to the gangway and the whole game the same Brazilian fans where up and down the steps like a yo-yo, back and forth to the concession areas, getting stewards to take their picture, working their way down rows where they weren’t sitting, then coming back. A nightmare if you’re trying to watch the game.
What happened to the band - early in the second half about eight guys in garish costumes with drums appeared on the balcony of one of the private boxes and banged out a fantastic loud samba rhythm for around ten minutes then disappeared.
Emirates Stadium - I don’t think there’s a bad seat in there but if you’re going try one on the lower level. I was in a corner in line with the goal last night but you’re very close and have a clear view of the whole pitch, if they keep the aisles clear.
One bad point, the policing. If you see Arsenal games and the fans start leaving early its all to do with the way the police control fans exiting the stadium. They have lines of police stopping leaving fans from one half of the ground getting around to the other side, which in my case meant that I wanted to head north to Finsbury Park but was sheparded south to the Holloway Road. They also control the exit of fans onto the Holloway Road with more lines of police bottling up fans in side streets for ten minutes at a time. I came on the CapitalConnect overground train to Finsbury Park. The nearest station to the Holloway Road is Highbury & Islington but my train doesn’t stop there after 10pm, so its either fight you’re way onto the Underground for one stop or walk around to Finsbury Park. This turns getting to where I want to be from a ten minute walk into 45 minutes with the police corralling.
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