Football Foyer

There’s something magical about a football weekend in Germany – the atmosphere, the fans, the beer – and my recent trip to North Rhine-Westphalia had it all. Three matches in three days, with currywursts and local beers flowing at every stop, and some unforgettable footballing drama thrown in for good measure.

We based ourselves in Düsseldorf, which turned out to be the perfect hub. Not only does it have a buzzing nightlife along the Rhine, but with match tickets doubling up as free regional train passes, getting around was a breeze. The plan was: Borussia Mönchengladbach v Mainz 05 on Friday night, Borussia Dortmund v FC Augsburg on Saturday, and Rott-Weiss Essen v SV Waldhof Mannheim on Sunday. A packed schedule, but that’s how you want it.

Friday Night Under the Lights – Borussia Mönchengladbach v Mainz 05

The weekend kicked off at Borussia Park with a Friday night clash between Borussia Mönchengladbach and Mainz 05. After jumping off the train, we stumbled upon a classic German dive bar just over the road from the station. Cheap beer, smoke-stained walls, and locals who looked like they’d been propping up the bar for decades. A perfect pre-match warm-up.

Outside Borussia-Park, it was a sea of green, black, and white scarves. The neon green glow of the stadium in the distance gave off an intimidating vibe, but inside, the atmosphere was more subdued than expected. That’s not to say the Mainz fans were quiet – far from it. Despite not selling out their allocation, they were relentless, led by an ultra who perched precariously on a fence, balanced only by some wire netting.

Mainz took control early and never really looked like losing. Paul Nebel opened the scoring, followed by Dominik Kohr and Nadiem Amiri. Stefan Lainer briefly gave Monchengladbach hope with a goal to make it 2-1, but Mainz were too composed and efficient on the break. They sat back, soaked up pressure, and picked their moments to attack – the mark of a side sitting comfortably in third and dreaming of Champions League nights next season.

The Monchengladbach faithful seemed frustrated as their team has underachieved all season.

However, there’s an interesting link between them and Liverpool fans that stood out. Their shared connection apparently stems from the 1977 European Cup final, when Liverpool defeated Gladbach 3-1 in Rome. Since then, the two sets of supporters have built a strong mutual respect, with Gladbach fans often turning up at Anfield and vice versa.

Another thing that stood out after the match was how many home fans cycled away from the ground. You don’t see that in the UK – thousands of bikes weaving through traffic, a proper local touch.

We then headed back to the dive bar before catching our train and joined the Monchengladbach fans who were drowning their sorrows.

Ticket price: €29 directly through the club.

Saturday Sunshine – Borussia Dortmund v FC Augsburg

A scorching Saturday in Dortmund – the kind of day that demands an ice-cold beer or two (or three) before heading to the ground. We arrived early in the city centre to soak up the pre-match atmosphere and a few pints before making our way to Signal Iduna Park.

Our tickets were in the standing Section 60 (I earlier stood in Section 61 for my first visit to Signal Iduna Park in 2018), normally reserved for away fans, but since Augsburg didn’t sell out their allocation, they were sold back to the home crowd. We found a spot at the top of the section, one of the few areas with some shade from the blazing sun.

Dortmund’s fans were in top form before kick-off, building a wall of noise and energy that you’d expect from the famed Yellow Wall. The problem was, the team didn’t match the intensity. Augsburg sat back, soaked up the pressure, and looked dangerous on the counter and at set pieces. Veteran Dutch defender Jeffrey Gouweleeuw scored the winner, but the real drama came from VAR.

Two goals were disallowed after lengthy VAR checks – Julian Brandt’s equaliser for Dortmund ruled out for offside, and an Augsburg goal through an own-goal by Salih Özcan chalked off after another marginal decision. The frustration in the stands was palpable, with both sets of fans uniting in their chants against VAR.

Special mention to three lads in the Augsburg end – two of them might have been twins, with an older brother leading the charge. They never stopped singing, driving their team on, and it’s no surprise that Augsburg held out for a huge win.

Full-time was greeted with boos from the Dortmund faithful – they knew their team had let them down.

Ticket price: €30 with fees (€19 initially) through a third-party ticketing platform – not ideal, but needs must unfortunately.

Sunday Night in the 3. Liga – Rott-Weiss Essen v SV Waldhof Mannheim 07

Sunday’s trip to Essen was a step down in league terms but a step up in authenticity. Rott-Weiss Essen might be languishing in the lower half of the 3. Liga, but the history and working-class roots of the club give it a gritty charm.

Founded in 1907, Rott-Weiss Essen became the first German team to appear in the European Cup as the 1954/55 champions. Their fanbase is fiercely loyal, and despite their recent struggles, the connection to the club remains strong. They also have a close bond with Borussia Dortmund fans, dating back to shared struggles and rivalries with Schalke – a case of ‘my enemy’s enemy is my friend’.

We caught the RE6 regional train from Düsseldorf to Essen, giving us time for a wander through the city centre before heading towards Hafenstübchen – the only bar near the stadium. €2 bottles of local Stauder beer and €4 currywurst – simple and perfect for what was required.

We met Andreas, a long-time Essen fan, who gave us the lowdown on the club’s fan culture. He reckons that if Essen ever get promoted to Bundesliga 2, he’d give up his season ticket because of the introduction of VAR. “It kills the emotion,” he said. “You don’t even know if you can celebrate anymore.”

Stadium-wise, Stadion Essen is a tidy 20,000-seater that opened in 2012. Interestingly, one of the old floodlights from Essen’s former stadium still stands outside, towering over the new ground as a nod to the club’s history. We had tickets in W3, close enough to the ultras in W1 and W2 to soak up the atmosphere without getting too involved. Pre-match tunes had a proper 80s throwback vibe, and once the match kicked off, the home support was immense.

Ahmet Arslan’s curling free-kick was enough to secure a 1-0 win for Essen – a rare moment of quality in an otherwise gritty affair. The celebrations were pure – fans jumping around, beer flying through the air – no VAR to spoil this one.

Ticket price: €14 directly through the club.

A Weekend to Remember

Three days, three matches, three currywursts – and probably a little too much beer. From the passionate Mainz fans in Monchengladbach to the seething frustration of Dortmund’s faithful, and the old-school charm of Rott-Weiss Essen – it was a weekend that showed every side of German football. The connection between fans and clubs feels stronger here.

It’s weekends like this that keep you hooked on football – and while the next trip might have to wait until next season, one thing’s for sure: Germany knows how to do football right.