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Chemnitzer FC

Ground: Stadion an der Gellertstrasse

Visits: 1

Date: 1st August 2022

Match: Chemnitzer FC - Union Berlin  1-2  After extra time, 1-1 at full time (DFB-Pokal)

Attendance: 13 465

The biggest and most interesting game on this trip was the 4th and final one, Chemnitzer FC v Union Berlin. A cup game between two teams from eastern Germany means a good atmosphere is guaranteed. My day started in Hannover though from where I went by train to Leipzig. My hotel was right next to the station but as my room wasn´t ready yet I had to store my bags. I then went to the Markt square where I had Wienerschnitzel and a Radler for lunch. At 14.22 the train to Chemnitz then departed. Trains are once an hour and it is around an hour's journey time. The trains on this route have compartments only and they are of a really poor standard. Actually, I would almost use the word embarrassing. Anyway, at 15.25 I was in Chemnitz and before going to the ground I went to the Karl Marx Monument. During the DDR era Chemnitz was called Karl-Marx-Stadt and some Chemnitzer FC wore scarves and shirts with “FC Karl-Marx-Stadt”.

Kick-off was at 18.00 and 16.20 I was outside Stadion an der Gellertstrasse, the home of Chemnitzer FC. As FC Karl-Marx-Stadt the club won the DDR Oberliga and became champions of East Germany in 1967. In 1990 the club changed its name to Chemnitzer FC. Between 2011 and 2020 the club played every season, except one, in 3. Liga. Last season the club finished 5th in Regionalliga Nordost but thanks to winning the Sachsen Pokal last season Chemnitz were awarded a spot in the DFB-Pokal. Stadion an der Gellertstrasse was inaugurated in 1934 but has obviously been renovated several times since then. In 2015/16 a major renovation took place and the ground is now a modern ground with a capacity of around 14,500.

A few days prior to going on this tour I was contacted by Chemnitz based groundhopper Mathias and I met up with him outside the ground. We had a nice chat before entering the ground. Mathias was in the East Stand but my seat was in row 13 of the West Stand, that is the Haupttribüne and only a few metres from my seat was the VIP area. Union Berlin brought 2,500 fans to Chemnitz this Monday evening and with home fans well up for this game there was a fantastic atmosphere throughout the game. Sitting close to the home end noise levels were at times really loud. On the pitch it was 0-0 at half-time. In the 62nd minute Stadion an der Gellertstrasse exploded with joy as a free-kick was headed into the back of the net, 1-0 to Chemnitz. Two minutes later Union equalised though and despite hitting the post and having several other good chances Union couldn't find the winning goal, 1-1 and extra-time in Chemnitz. As was the case yesterday the Bundesliga team wore down the Regionalliga team and in the 114th minute Union scored the winning goal. Disappointment for Chemnitz and their fans but they can be proud of their performance, both on and off the pitch. At 07.18 on Tuesday morning I then left Leipzig by an ICE-train and via Berlin Brandenburg airport I made it back to Sweden.

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Karl Marx Monument

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Karl Marx Monument

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Markt

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Rathaus

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Fans drinking next to the ground

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Stadion an der Gellertstrasse

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Rear of the West Stand

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Club badge

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North Stand

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East Stand

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South Stand

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West Stand

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Kick-off

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North Stand

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Message from Union fans

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​Union fans

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Tifo

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Tifo

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View of play

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East Stand

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View of play

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South Stand

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Chemnitz fans

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Chemnitz fans

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1-2

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Pano