Into Hell And Back

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They call it Hell. Ali Sami Yen, the home ground of the football club Galatasaray. The stadium has earned its nickname from the vibrant, energetic, and sometimes hostile atmosphere created by the fanatic supporters. Over-exaggerated by media, or bordering insanity to pay a visit as a foreign and neutral spectator? Only one way to find out.

Finding the correct subway stop is fairly easy. Next step is to find the actual stadium. Find supporters with team jerseys on, and follow them. There is a great number of people wearing the red and yellow Galatasaray shirt. The problem is, they’re walking in different directions. The language barrier makes it a challenge to ask for directions. So, pick a direction that seems logical, start walking, and hope for the best.

The venue turns out to be a rather short walk from the station. Now, where to buy tickets? Again, asking is to no avail. Even a simple “tickets?” is met with confusion and sending us in random directions. What appears to be a ticket booth turns out to be something else, exactly what is unclear. A small shed with no signs is the target for our next attempt. A group of seemingly mentally challenged teenage boys are hanging around, pushing each other around. Are they trying to steal your money? Are they trying to get tickets? Are they just trying to annoy the hell out of everyone there? Probably the latter. But there is indeed a ticket window.

We get our tickets, walk through the turnstiles. No fancy gates, rather holes in the wall. Enter Hell. The stadium is rather empty though. Not very intimidating at all. Where are all the people? Fashionably late? Look at the watch. Look at the ticket. Note to self: When checking time for kickoff online, check for the local time. Allow for time difference. Be smarter.

Plenty of time for taking pictures, having a few cups of tea, and watching the stadium fill up. And eventually the stadium does fill up. During warm-up, one of the home team players rushes down to our curve where some of the most dedicated fans are, showing his fighting face, firing up the crowd. Seems to be a ritual. More players should show the same passion.

Fans are singing, cheering, shouting. The October air is cold, but Hell is all fired up. Ready to send their opponents back to wherever they came from. In this case Antalya(spor). The atmosphere is indeed intense, and it’s easy to believe that the supporters genuinely hate all opponents. But hostile it is not. Songs and chants might be offensive, but there is no fighting, no objects thrown, no unwelcoming looks.

Galatasaray wins rather comfortably. The match itself is moderately entertaining at best. Turned out we were lucky, only a few months later the team moved to a new and more modern venue. I’m glad I got a chance to visit Hell. And to make it back.

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