LFC fans link with Leverkusen
Several meetings with Bayer Leverkusen during the past decade have formed a growing relationship between Reds supporters and their German counterparts. Liverpoolfc.com finds out more.
On Sunday, Anfield welcomes back a legend, with Sami Hyypia, now manager of Leverkusen, bringing the German team to Merseyside for a pre-season friendly.
Ahead of the emotional reunion, Ulli Wissling, President of the Nordcurve12 independent supporters association, revealed how a link between the two sets of fans has developed.
How has Sami done since he came to Bayer Leverkusen?
It was an honour for us that Sami came to Leverkusen. He's a legend, but he's also so humble. In his first season he played brilliantly, we'd never seen a defender like him. He was great in the air, always played well and was a good teacher for other players. In his second season he didn't play quite as much, but maintained a high standard.
When Sami learnt that LFC fans were in Leverkusen to visit us he spent an hour meeting the fans from Liverpool, to talk to them, he really enjoyed it. He still loves Liverpool; you could recognise that very well. And we love him too in Leverkusen. His first weeks as manager were brilliant. Other players look up to him and I think he has a good plan for how Leverkusen should play. We are excited about how his first season will be.
What do Leverkusen and LFC fans have in common?
Leverkusen and LFC fans live in industrial towns. Both are not as beautiful as, for example, Paris or Rome, but they have a very special atmosphere. Both towns have very special places, concealed loveliness and very special people.
Both sets of fans, especially, are very proud to be a fan of their team. They have big hearts, of course you cannot compare LFC and its history with the one of Bayer Leverkusen, but the passion for the match and the team is what unites both supports. Both teams had hard times in recent years, but you could not recognise that in the number and passion of supporters.
Tell us about your fans group...
Skunks is a fan group, founded 10 years ago. We meet before home matches in our bar, Stadioneck, which is run by the independent fan association in Leverkusen, Nordkurve12. We travel across Germany and Europe to support the team, visiting Valencia, Trondheim and Charkiv in the last couple of years. Our fan club is much more than a supporters group, it has become part of our lives.
When did you first meet LFC supporters?
We first met during the Champions League match at Anfield in 2002. For the return game in Leverkusen we organised a ticket for someone from Liverpool. In 2005, when we came over for the next match we met Simon Glinn, who took us to some great pubs where we met many of the people we know to this day.
Have you made friends with many LFC fans?
Definitely! Every time we visit Liverpool we meet new people, each time LFC fans visit us it is the same. We loved our trip to Liverpool in 2005. One highlight was LFC's Champions League victory in 2005. Our LFC friends flew via Cologne. We met them at the airport and had a great afternoon singing and drinking there.
We now visit each other at least once a year. Visiting Liverpool has become a little bit like coming home. People in Liverpool are completely different, so open minded, so friendly, you always feel very welcome when you come to Liverpool, it is great to be there and spend time with our friends.
What was your first visit to Anfield like?
It was very special. We'd heard about Liverpool, about The Kop, Anfield, You'll Never Walk Alone and of course about the Beatles. When YNWA started it was a very special moment. In Leverkusen singing usually happens only in the fan corner, in Liverpool chants came from all over the stadium, which is very unusual.
LFC fans have also visited you in Leverkusen, tell us about that...
On the first visit about 10 friends from Liverpool came over, we organised tickets (as LFC fans do for us as well) and went to the match. The pre-match here is very similar to Liverpool, people meet in the bars around the stadium and just spend time together, drink beer and so on. It's a nice thing, you always get to know new people, other fan club members. Fans in Leverkusen know about the history of our fan club and its friendship to Liverpool and almost everyone is interested to get in touch with the guys when they are there.
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