The crowds of a small marathon, but a start of 100 meters.
The frenzy, which seized the few hundred supporters at the opening of the gates of the Sammy-Ofer stadium, four and a quarter hours before kick-off, finally said a little more about the passion of the Israeli public around of the clash between Maccabi Haifa and PSG.
As if they had heard the starter's signal before an Olympic Games final, the first 300 spectators ran at lightning speed up the steps leading to the entrance to the enclosure, (small ) twin sister of Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena.
It is just 5:45 p.m. in Haifa and the excitement surrounding this matchday two of the Champions League is finally being felt in the city bordering the Mediterranean Sea.
In the center of this rather quiet port city on Wednesday, the passion of one of the audiences reputed to be one of the hottest in Israel has long been imperceptible.
The boss of the Z-City Bar, a hotspot for Haifa's nightlife, warned us: “Usually we only open on weekends, but tonight with the crowd that the match will attract, we're an exception!
In the streets, little frequented and overwhelmed by the heat, only Bali, encountered around the Bahai'es Terraces of Haifa, clearly shows his interest in the evening event.
"Unfortunately, I couldn't get a ticket for the match,
he laments at the foot of these hanging gardens considered one of the eight new wonders of the world.
However, the 30-year-old Maccabi fan says he has no illusions about the scenario.
"Tonight, there will be no suspense, we all know that Paris will win," he slips before continuing.
"But there won't be any after the group stage either, you know as well as I do what will happen if Paris crosses paths with Real Madrid," he smirked to predict Parisian failure. next spring.
A touch of humor so much, according to Pierre, Israeli quadra of Lebanese origin, "most people appreciate the PSG here in Haifa".
“Everyone loves Mbappé, Messi, Neymar, he continues.
All the players are strong, better and the team has the label of future champions.
If Paris could only score 2 goals, that would be enough.
However, imagining a defeat is not the most common scenario among local supporters.
“We are going to win,” warn three toddlers as they pass in front of the cameras of the French press.
Draped in a “collector” jersey from the victory (3-2) of Haifa in 1998 in the 16th of the Cup Winners' Cup, Bobby assures that “anything can happen tonight”.
"Paris probably doesn't consider us any more than Pilzen (note: Czech Tom Thumb) but it will see that the atmosphere here is different,
promises the fifties under his cap.
The public acts as the 12th and 13th player, supporting the team from start to finish because everyone feels like a cog in the team.
If the score is close, Haifa will attack in all directions.
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Forming one body and regrouping around one's own, that's why from 5 hours before the match the surroundings of the stadium, from the forecourt to the green spaces, saw the green and white jerseys multiply.
To chat, drink beer, dance to electronic music or sing the glory of the club, many of them warmed up to raise the temperature in the stands.
At 7:15 p.m., when they entered the lawn, Christophe Galtier and Luis Campos did not yet know what to expect.
They, unlike the few thousand Parisian supporters who entered the stands a few minutes earlier, escaped the whistles of local supporters.
The atmosphere will initially have been peaceful for the duo.
But after having greeted the refereeing quartet, he took the measure of what was going to await him at kick-off when Marquinhos comes, coffee in hand,
take a look at the lawn under the whistles of the entire stadium.
"As far as Paris knows, crazy things can happen sometimes," warns Bobby.
