It's a cold, damp Sunday afternoon in Manchester, and the weather app shows five degrees. Dark clouds and the bare branches of the trees on the banks are reflected on the smooth surface of the Ashton Canal. Actually a day that even Britons who are not particularly weather sensitive prefer to spend on the couch. But on the narrow promenade along the canal, a number of groups, including many families - men with woolen hats, women in rubber boots, children in oversized down jackets - stroll eastwards out of town. Their way leads them through a new development area with chic apartments, past former factories, until they finally arrive at the destination of their hike: the Manchester City stadium.
It is December 26th, Boxing Day, and football is traditionally played in England on that day. But as firmly as this special day is firmly anchored in the calendar of English football, as naturally as it is part of the Christmas routine of many families in the country, it is so controversial that it takes place this year. Because the Omicron variant of the corona virus is rampant in Great Britain, the number of cases has been skyrocketing for weeks. Nevertheless, the conservative government around Prime Minister Boris Johnson is reluctant to impose noticeable restrictions on public life. Shops, pubs and restaurants are open, and in the run-up to Christmas the Christmas markets in downtown Manchester were very busy.
The 20 clubs of the Premier League decided at a digital meeting last week, despite the increasing number of game cancellations and the comparatively low vaccination rate among professionals, to continue the league game. Eyes shut and go for it. The Guardian sharply criticized the fact that London was leaving it to the clubs to deal with the pandemic, because as a profit-oriented company they would of course have an interest in continuing. "Welcome to Covid Britain, where football clubs make health policy decisions," said the newspaper's analysis of the "absurdity" of the situation.
After all: Because England has been in the so-called “Plan B” phase of the catalog of measures against the uncontrolled spread of the virus since the beginning of December, some conditions apply to football fans that did not apply until then. Anyone wanting to go to the stadium must either show a Covid pass with information about a full vaccination or a negative test result that must not be older than 48 hours. In addition, fans have to make a one-off declaration in which they assure that they are aware of the measures mentioned and that they will not come to the stadium if they experience symptoms. The wearing of masks is compulsory when the fans are inside the stadium area - for example in the toilets - but this is only "recommended" in their assigned seats.
Less than half an hour before kick-off, people flock to the Manchester City stadium from all directions. Souvenirs and late Christmas presents are bought in the City Store, and souvenir photos can be taken under supervision in a light blue illuminated construction trailer decorated with head-high plastic candy canes. Dozens of fans jostle at a drinks stall behind the east grandstand to grab another beer in a hurry. Covid-19 samples are announced on pink signs at the entrance. The mobile stations for disinfecting hands, which are set up around the stadium, are routinely ignored by most visitors.
The situation is serious. Of the nine Premier League games scheduled for that day, only six will take place: The games Liverpool against Leeds, Wolverhampton against Watford and Burnley against Everton are canceled because at least one of the teams involved cannot provide sufficiently healthy or negatively tested players. In the championship, the second division, the picture is even clearer: out of ten “Boxing Day” games, only two take place; In leagues three and four, things look similarly bleak. The situation at the clubs will be monitored and responded on a case-by-case basis, said Trevor Birch, head of the EFL, under whose roof the three leagues below the Premier League are played: “But for the time being we will stick to our view that we are playing can safely performwhen clubs have enough healthy staff - on and off the pitch. "
While the first minutes of the game are running in the stadium and chants are sloshing around, many fans are still standing outside, chatting calmly and empty their cups.
Even of those who are now late coming up Joe Mercer Way or getting off the tram, there are apparently only a few who are really in a hurry.
Only after five minutes you can hear a scream from tens of thousands of throats that some start a light trot towards the entrances.
City is already leading 1-0.