Maracana

Kevster

Have any of ye ever been to it? I was at a club game there about 5 years ago between Fluminense & Paysandu. You know the way a stadium always appears smaller when you're actually in it (as opposed to watching it on TV)... ...? Well, the Maracana remains enormous even when you're actually in it! It's just inspiring.

MrJoeSoap

It'd definitely be high on my "Places to see a game" list, along with La Bombonera. Would love to go.

Kevster

I only managed to walk around La Bombonera. It was closed on the day we were there. I could see inside it though and it looked pretty impressive - kind of, unique in style.

MrJoeSoap

Kevster wrote: »

I only managed to walk around La Bombonera. It was closed on the day we were there. I could see inside it though and it looked pretty impressive - kind of, unique in style.

Looks to have a bit of a Croke Park design to it. The fans are insane I'd say, would love to see a Superclasico there.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,6903,1182710,00.html

dor83

I was at the Maracana for a match between Vasco and Flamengo in 2006 and I have to say it was the best atmosphere I have ever experienced at a football match. The crowd were amazing, the loudest I've ever heard, but it was very hostile inside the stadium and even worse outside. There were several times when the police had to stop riots from breaking out, they did this by coming at the crowd on horses and beating the head off whoever was standing there. I've been to a lot of matches in a few different countries and that was the only time I feared for my safety, I'd still love to go back though.

Kevster

Wow, that's a top game to be at. What was the attendance like? At the game I was at, there was only about 10,000 and the stadium looked deserted. There was still a great atmosphere though: drums constantly beating, and crazy dudes running around shouting and shaking the barriers violently!

Romário was with Fluminense the time I saw them play but he was injured for that game - dammmit

pickarooney

Wanted to go but there was some crap game on between one of the weaker local sides and a team from Fortaleza and I had no-one to go with. Should have gone anway, in retrospect. Saw River Plate beat Corinthians 3-2 in BA in the Libertadores instead - amazing game, intense atmosphere. First glimpses of Tevez (had a fantastic fame) and Mascgerano (was ****e, got booed, got sent off).

Eirebear

I was there and watched a game between Botafogo and a team called Sao Cetano.
Like others have said i doubt the stadium was anywhere near half full, probably around 40,000 there but the noise and atmosphere was tremendous.

LostinBlanch

dor83 wrote: »

I was at the Maracana for a match between Vasco and Flamengo in 2006 and I have to say it was the best atmosphere I have ever experienced at a football match. The crowd were amazing, the loudest I've ever heard, but it was very hostile inside the stadium and even worse outside. There were several times when the police had to stop riots from breaking out, they did this by coming at the crowd on horses and beating the head off whoever was standing there. I've been to a lot of matches in a few different countries and that was the only time I feared for my safety, I'd still love to go back though.

I was at a Flamengo Fluminense cup match. No trouble, though there were sh*tloads of cops around the place. The entire lower tier was kept empty as they were renovating it. But the fans! I was in the Flamengo end and the noise was amazing, huge flags and they were wild. Plus the women were hawt.

I just found this on youtube. Obviously there are a few more there this time! But that'll give you an idea of what they're like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjN3fE6ucv0

Third_Echelon

I was on holiday in Brazil in 2005 and did the tour of the Maracana... Some size of a stadium, but it was definitely showing its age. They were renovating it when I was there as it was crumbling in parts..

Eirebear

Third_Echelon wrote: »

I was on holiday in Brazil in 2005 and did the tour of the Maracana... Some size of a stadium, but it was definitely showing its age. They were renovating it when I was there as it was crumbling in parts..

Yep, we went there in 06.
The renovations where for the Pan American games the following year, it was starting to shape up when we were there.

dor83

Yeah, the renovation of the bottom tier was going on while I was there but there was still about 60,000 people there for the match. There was that many people at the game that some people were standing on the railings because it was the only place left.

They were expecting trouble at the match I went to, I was told by a few of the locals that it would be dangerous to go but it was my last night there and I couldn't go to Rio and not go to a match. We personaly had no trouble, probably because they knew we were foreigners, but there was a lot if fights breaking out outside the stadium.

Kevster

Which match was that dor83?

I was there way back in 2003 and there was no renovating going on at that time. The stadium did look a wreck though - Even Lansdowne Road (before they tore it down) looked in better shape!

dor83

It was Vasco V Flamengo in oct 06, The stadium was looking well when I was there apart from the fact that they were still working on the bottom tier. I really enjoyed the match and definately plan to go to another match there sometime, hopefully it'll be full the next time I go.