15 Feb, 2025

Union vs Gladbach

Report by Arnfinn Kjos Eduardsen

Most people know that Josh from Birmingham often stays in my small apartment in Adlershof when there are matches at Alte Försterei. Those who have visited know that I don't have much space in the apartment, but when I sleep in the alcove in the kitchen, the living room is available for the man from England.

I arrived in Berlin on Thursday morning, and since then it has been snowing heavily. Josh is probably a bit more worried about the snow than I am. He arrived late Friday evening, but luckily the airport in Berlin was operating normally, and the flight was on time! I try to introduce some Norwegian food to Josh when we are both here. I have served waffles with brown cheese and sausages in lompe. Before we went to the match against Leipzig, Norwegian Christmas rib was on the menu. This time it will be Swedish food – and on the menu are Swedish meatballs, which Josh already knows from Ikea in Birmingham!

Saturday morning starts as usual with scrambled eggs and bacon. It is chilly in Berlin and the clothes are ready for a cold experience. For me, it's two T-shirts and two sweaters, as well as a thick down jacket. Long johns are a must!

Well-padded so that movements are a bit slow, we walk at a moderate pace to bus 164 and ride 5 stops to Köpenick. Normally, the tram could be used, but there is a replacement bus for part of the way, so we take the bus. And it's not just us who prefer the bus. It is packed, with many people in red Union clothes.

We quickly stop by Hauptman, but since people are going to the stadium earlier and earlier, we leave there 2 hours before the match starts.

The forest path from Abseitsfalle to the stadium was covered with hard-packed snow and dangerously slippery. We arrived at sector 3, 1 hour and 45 minutes before the match started and soon we were a group of 6 people in our usual spot.

The match started lively, and best for BMG. It was not undeserved that they led by 2 goals at halftime. But after the break, Union changed a lot and played a lively game, which should have yielded more than a "cheap" penalty. If we play like this in more home games, we will be rewarded for it. But today it didn't work out, and a 1-2 loss was the result. Despite the defeat, there was support from the fans. It was sad to lose, but victories will come. EISERN!

Arnfinn Kjos Eduardsen – Bamsegjengen