Playing in an empty stadium is not something to enjoy

Tuesday 25 November 2008

No matter what the result is of Atlético Madrid-PSV on Wednesday, it's certain the players of PSV will have had a unique experience as UEFA has ordered the game to be played in front of empty stands.

"In a way it has it's charms," center forward Danny Koevermans says.

"Just so that you have been through that as well."

The words of the striker are an expression of the sentiments with which the players of PSV will travel to Madrid on Tuesday.

No one at the club is waiting for a game without spectators.

But now that UEFA have penalized Atletico for disturbances during the home game against Olympique Marseilles PSV can do little else than make the best of it.

"For a football player there is nothing greater than playing in front of 60,000 people," says Ibrahim Afellay.

"It will be a strange sensation for that matter. And we do not really know what to expect. We'll just go by the ear, that's all we can do."

Goals without cheers and error by the referee without jeers, at PSV no one can imagine what the ghost match of tomorrow will be like.

The sounds on the pitch will be heard throughout the stadium, and when a player bursts out with frustration no lip reader will be needed as everyone can hear his rants.

PSV aren't the first team to play without a crowd.

In December 1987 the Dutch national team played Cyprus in an empty stadium (4-0) and three years ago Feyenoord enjoyed the same privilege in a UEFA Cup game against Rapid Bucharest
(1-1).

Former PSV player Berry van Aerle when Holland had top play their qualification game for the successful Euro 88.

The game had to be replayed after a madman through a bomb on the pitch that exploded close to the Cyprus goal keeper.

"I thought it was terrible," Van Aerle says looking back.

"Playing in an empty stadium is not something to enjoy. It lacks the atmosphere and the interaction with the crowd. When there's a goal it stays silent. There is just an echo and the muttering. It's hard to stay motivated."

Patrick Lodewijks, three years ago keeper at Feyenoord, confirms that.

"The importance of the game fades away under such circumstances. It's a strange sensation and certainly not a challenging environment," says the current goal keeper trainer of Feyenoord.

"Normally European games are something special. The crowd in a packed stadium are very motivating. Without spectators a player will have to derive it all from within. That automatically becomes artificial as no one is used to that."

Just like Van Aerle Lodewijks looks back without any satisfaction on the job in an empty stadium, but he did remember some remarkable details.

"It wasn't fun, but I saw so many different things during the game. Like a coach getting out of the dugout and shouting something. I could actually understand him. And as a goal keeper I started interfering in things that I usually didn't bother with. In a packed stadium your voice normally doesn't get beyond the back four. But on that night I was coaching midfielders."

Both advice PSV to do everything like their used to tomorrow.

"It's hard to prepare players to something like this," Van Aerle says.

No matter how dreary the game might be, it will be to PSV's advantage that the Spaniards will have to do without their fanatic home fans.

"That can indeed do them good," says Van Aerle.

For Danny Koevermans the UEFA penalty is a double disappointment as he had invited his parents to come to Madrid.

"It was a gift, as they had always wanted to come to an away game in the Champions League. It's a shame it has to be canceled, but it will be a special night even still."