Next season, Europa League games are to increase in Unions Alter Försterei
Photo: City Press
By Matthew Koch
Union has been preparing for the Europa League in the Olympic Stadium for weeks. But now encounters in the An der Alten Försterei stadium are suddenly possible!
Because Uefa surprisingly allows standing room in the European club competitions for the participants from the top 5, where this is already allowed in the national competitions.
Union President Dirk Zingler (57): “We are very happy about it. The timing is surprising. Last summer we and others took the initiative that national conditions should also apply to international games. Uefa has announced that this should now be possible.
In contrast to the games in the Uefa Cup 2001/02 in the Jahn-Sportpark and in the Conference League 2021/22 in the “Oly”, there should be European Cup games in the Union epicenter in Köpenick for the first time.
Zingler: “Dreams come true. We all dreamed of European Cup evenings in the Alte Försterei. Now they are possible. We will do everything for it.”
A few things still need to be tackled. For example, Uefa requires additional work rooms and warm-up areas for the players on the side of the grandstand.
The only drop of bitterness: only 20,012 visitors fit in the forester’s lodge, and almost 75,000 in the Olympic Stadium. Tens of thousands of Union fans will not get tickets.