Polish fans are keeping their fighting words to a minimum. The match against Austria at the Berlin Olympic Stadium is a do-or-die situation for both teams.
On Friday, the Olympic Stadium won’t be orange, but white-red. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jens Büttner
BERLIN taz | „Poland is facing a battle with Austria.“ With strong words, Poland’s largest private radio station RMF24 prepared its listeners for the second group stage match of the Polish national team at the Euros. The game, which is crucial for Poland after their opening loss to the Netherlands, will take place on Friday at the Olympic Stadium, just an hour and a half drive from the border.
A battle in the heart of Berlin? Involving Polish hooligans, who, according to fan researcher Robert Claus, are among the most violent and right-wing alongside Serbians, Croatians, and Hungarians? Shouldn’t alarm bells be ringing in Berlin?
In fact, there are no warning signs even just before the match. No cautionary words from Senator Iris Spranger, no mention of border controls by Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (both SPD). Not even the media is painting a doomsday scenario. Have the Polish „kibice“ (fans) suddenly toned down their behavior?
Low Expectations
The lack of martial displays, apart from RMF24, also stems from low expectations. Only through a playoff against Wales, and via a penalty shootout, did the Polish team qualify for the Euros. Even the fans themselves don’t expect too much. „You won’t find anyone in Poland saying that the national team is playing exceptionally well,“ said former sports coordinator Radosław Gilewicz recently in Kicker.
There was no fan march towards the Olympic Stadium. It’s also unclear how many Polish spectators will be cheering for the biało-czerwoni, the White-Reds, on-site. More than 100,000 people with Polish roots live in Berlin, but many choose to watch from home. „Most fans arrange to meet with their friends in private homes, allotment gardens, or pubs,“ revealed Paweł Glapiński from the Polish Social Council to Tagesspiegel. Not even the legendary „Club of Polish Failures“ is offering a public viewing.
Even in RMF24’s coverage, the talk of a battle is only in reference to the match itself. „It will be an intense game,“ the station quotes player Bartosz Bereszyński. „Many fans believe in us. Despite the loss to the Netherlands, there is a good atmosphere.“ He then delves into motivation. „The fact that the Austrians have received many yellow cards plays into our hands.“ This suggests that the Austrians may play more cautiously than they did against France. After the narrow 0-1 loss, both Austria and Poland are in a must-win situation.