Budapest (AFP)

After months of "boredom", "a lot of emotion": European football fans were able to return to their cherished stands Thursday in Budapest for the European Supercup.

But between ticket cancellations, multiple restrictions and omnipresent health "risk", the hoped-for great celebration did not take place.

"My last match at the stadium was in March!"

exclaims Sven Widmann, brand new Bayern jersey on his shoulders and wide smile perceptible behind the surgical mask required.

This Bavarian subscriber to the Allianz Arena in Munich multiplies the photos of the Puskas Arena, the stadium of the Hungarian capital which welcomed Thursday evening some 15,500 spectators, a first for a European match since the end of winter.

"It's really special, because Bayern (winner in August of the Champions League behind closed doors, Editor's note) has spoiled us in recent months. So there is a lot of joy," he adds while keeping his distances, before rushing into an airlock equipped with thermal cameras that measure the temperature of the spectators.

A few flags, a few songs, beers and make-up in the colors of the two clubs: the forgotten flavors of European football are revived in the Hungarian evening.

But they are far from worthy of the atmosphere of a great football meeting of the "world before", where a stadium of 68,000 places would undoubtedly have been packed, without the distancing of rigor.

Blame it on a pandemic which is still omnipresent in Europe and particularly in Hungary.

- Negative tests required -

The vast majority of Bayern jerseys or scarves visible in the enclosure do not belong to Bavarian fans, but to the local "fan base" of the German champion club: out of the 3,000 tickets reserved for the delegation German, only around 1,200 were sold.

As for the fans of Seville, the sacred team in the Europa League, they are even fewer - but they sing very loudly - in the spans: less than 350 Andalusian supporters were on the trip, and we had to go through several bars in the center - city ​​before crossing thirty in the afternoon.

Within the small group of aficionados, Silvia Guijarro, like all the other fans, had to undergo a virological test to enter Hungary, a country whose borders are closed.

"It was much more complicated than usual: we had to take a test and we are all negative. But until the last moment, we didn't know if we were going to be able to move freely in Budapest or if we were going to have to stay. in locked up until the match, ”explains the 52-year-old supporter.

- "Risk" -

To make matters worse, Germany recently placed Hungary as a "risk zone", forcing Bavarian fans to respect a fortnight on their return unless they take a new virological test ...

Of course, Bayern Munich has opened a test center to facilitate the process for its fans, but many have thrown in the towel ...

"I wanted to come with a friend, but he canceled because of the virus, his wife was afraid," slips Sven Widmann, who arrived by car from Munich after taking his virological test on Monday.

He said to himself "careful": "I respect the distances, I wear my mask, and I live in Munich, where you can just as easily catch the virus. The only thing that bothered me was that the lady from the border police wore his mask under the chin, it was not great, "regrets the support.

Crossed the day before at the airport, André and Anna, a couple of Bavarian fans, have the same analysis: "If everyone complies with the rules, not much is happening", slips André, happy to finally put a end to evenings "boredom on the sofa watching matches on television".

"On the other hand, if people are alcoholic, take off their masks and shout in all directions, there is a risk," adds the cross supporter Wednesday at the exit of the Budapest airport, where the controls took him More than an hour.

The price to pay to find the goosebumps of the stands ...

© 2020 AFP