🇹🇷 Went to Istanbul this week, watching #MUFC in a dramatic 3-3 draw in a brilliant city full of friendly and football-mad people.

Unfortunately, the whole thing was then tarnished by the latest episode of shit @UEFA treatment of travelling supporters.

🧵 Here we go again: Arrived at the away end 30mins before kick-off and joined huge queue in the rain for 8 turnstiles, only 6 of which appeared to be operational. Inexplicably, several wooden delivery pallets are simply lying on the floor in the queue, everyone tripping over them in the dark.

Bundesliga away followings this season, as compiled by @fussballmafiade:

1️⃣ FC Schalke 04
Average away following: 7,182
Highest: ~15,000 in Hoffenheim 2️⃣ SV Werder Bremen
Avg: 6,488
Highest: ~25,000 at Hertha BSC
Notable: season record!

SC #Freiburg #ultras’ flyer with choreo instructions and the following:

“Please refrain from stickering or graffitiing the Ostkurve. This is #HerthaBSC’s home end and we respect this.”

“Racist, discriminatory, antisemitic and sexist chants or behaviour will not be tolerated.” #DFBPokal #SCFreiburg

RB Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff has addressed the criticism of his club, as he does from time to time.

Now, I'm going to go through some of his comments and those of some others because a) they're entitled to their views and b) it's very much a standard script.

Long thread 😬 This is a script we've been hearing from the club, its fans and the uncritical Leipzig media bubble for the past decade.

Much of it misses, or willingly ignores, the point. Having said that, some of it also a response to criticism which also misses the point.

Borussia Dortmund and Marco Rose part company.

#BVB

https://twitter.com/BVB/status/1527597516136628224

CEO Hans-Joachim #Watzke: "This is not an easy day because the mutual appreciation among us was, is and remains great. But after a season which was unsatisfactory for various reasons, we've had to conclude that we haven't made the most of our potential." #BVB

A "specific type of intelligence," a sense of perspective and "football for all."

Ahead of SC #Freiburg's first ever #DFBPokal final on Saturday, I spoke to Director of Sport Jochen Saier and others about the club's unique path.

For @dw_sports:

dw.com/en/the-freibur… 3 years ago, @JonBloggs66, @Davis_VanOpdorp & I recorded the @TribunePodcast in #Freiburg.

While we were there, SCF fans @helgethomas & @WilleRobin explained brilliantly and articulately what their club is all about. It's still well worth a listen.

🎙️ audioboom.com/posts/7184024-…

📰 Some German press this morning after Eintracht Frankfurt’s #UEL triumph.

🗞 Kicker: “White Giants - Sevilla, a summer fairy tale” (the term usually used to describe the 2006 World Cup in Germany)

#UEL 🗞 Sportbild: “Eintracht madness! Crazy final with bloody foul and choreo chaos”

“Two Trapp saves for eternity”

#UEL

Re: attacks on West Ham fans in Frankfurt

Lots of praise for #Eintracht #Frankfurt's fan culture in recent weeks (rightly so), but also certain distinctions to be made within active German fan scenes, particularly between "ultras" & "hooligans," none more so than in Frankfurt... Displays, fan marches, atmosphere etc are generally conducted by the ultras. The "Ultras Frankfurt" are one of the biggest such groups in Germany.

German ultra groups are generally fairly left-leaning and don't go actively seeking violence, although they will defend themselves.