It would be wrong to say that Tarnava, the Slovak city that will host the Euro 2022 finals until the age of 19 tonight (Friday), was occupied by Israelis.
In fact, this very picturesque city produces the feeling that it has not been conquered by anyone - not even by its inhabitants.
The atmosphere on the day of the game is very sleepy, perhaps also because of the hot weather - which the locals face with sprinklers that spray cool water along the streets, and perhaps because the local team has finished its way in the tournament.
Special for my followers: a guided tour of Tarnava.
pic.twitter.com/Lvggtrptav
- dor hoffman (@dorhoffman) July 1, 2022
Still, Hebrew is the second language on the city streets.
Especially around the spectacular Spartak Tarnava Stadium, which holds 19,000 seats and boasts a beautifully landscaped lawn and built jointly with the local mall.
Here in Trnava you can enter H&M and exit the stands of the Ultras.
The Israelis who have arrived here in the meantime (many more are expected to arrive near the game) are made up of the entire sports spectrum - quite a few journalists have been called from the country (and I among them), there are of course family and media people and some geographically nearby - Hungary, Austria, etc. Change route and reach Tarnava.
Another eight hours!
Bomb grass, spectacular stadium, peak excitement.
Al Al!
pic.twitter.com/W5c6XTmGDT
- dor hoffman (@dorhoffman) July 1, 2022
Instead of visiting a European-classical museum that displays history that has already been made, many Israelis have chosen to replace it with a visit to a stadium where they may get to see history made before their eyes.
Contributing to this was the fact that a ticket for a game costs only three euros.
The team is housed in a secluded spot, about 40 minutes from the stadium.
Coach Ofir Haim and the players continue to conduct themselves calmly and with full openness, broadcasting business as usual.
They will arrive at the stadium about two hours before the opening whistle of what will be the biggest game of their short career.
All around, the excitement is immense.
I spent the last day with the broadcast team of the game on behalf of Here 11, Michael Zandberg and Lian Wildau, who are alert and ready for the big event.
It is evident in the mood of all present here that an evening with historical potential awaits at the stadium of Tarnava.
Discussions about the importance of the game and the magnitude of the achievement continue to take place on social media and in the hallway conversations, but as someone who has experienced the atmosphere in the last day my conclusion is one: sometimes, in very few cases, one can abandon the search for proportions and stay with emotions.
And the emotions, a few hours before the big game, are not lacking at all.
The highlight of the career of the coach and the players, Photo: Dor Hoffman
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