7 most intimidating stadiums in the Champions League this season
As the Champions League 15/16 season unravels in the coming months, the main factor for some clubs could be the turf and surroundings they play in. Stadiums with hostile crowds and a tough atmosphere are always difficult to play in for opposing sides.With the best clubs from Europe participating in the competition, we look at such stadiums which are daunting in terms of structure and where the distance between crowd and pitch might give opposition players a nightmare.Around the world, football fans can be relentlessly intimidating. It’s not just all the stadium paraphernalia that visually exhibits their love for their team and the game. It’s also the vigor and bottomless passion that you can hear from the earth shattering uproar that they effortlessly create to intimidate the opponent as exemplified by these top stadiums.Even though one top club with an impressive home support is missing from the Champions League this season, in the form of Borussia Dortmund and their Signal Iduna Park, we look at seven stadiums in the continent which can help the home team win.
#7 Estadio do Dragao: FC Porto
Estadio do Dragao is the home of FC Porto. The stadium's name is derived from the presence of a dragon on the club's crest, which is composed of an old stitched leather football under the city's coat of arms. It is also the nickname of the club's football team.
The awarding of the UEFA Euro 2004 hosting rights to Portugal in 1999 was the perfect opportunity for Porto to move into a more modern, functional and comfortable stadium, in line with the demands of high-level international football. The club decided to build an entirely new ground and chose a site located a few hundreds of meters southeast of their previous home, the Estádio das Antas.
The construction took two years to complete at a cost of €98 million. The stadium was officially inaugurated on 16 November 2003 with a match against Barcelona. Porto won 2–0 in front of a record 52,000 spectators, which also witnessed the professional debut of Lionel Messi. For safety reasons, its current capacity is limited to 50,000 spectators.
Statistically speaking, this is the most difficult stadium in Europe to play at. While it doesn’t seem physically imposing, but the unique features of this stadium has some effect. Either way it’s been years since Porto has lost a league match here.
In the Champions League though, Porto have been relentless in qualifying, but their team lets them down. Winning at home is a habit that has been inhabited by their fans in them. Over the years, the Estadio do Dragao has been considered a dangerous ground for opposing teams and even top European sides have witnessed it. The crowd is always roaring for the home side in support and does not give much to cheer about for the visitors.