It’s
the biggest away game of the season for the Spanish Champions, but with
three days to go before kick-off Atletico Madrid have sold just 30
tickets for their visit to the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.
One
of the peculiarities of Spanish football is that there is no tradition
of huge travelling support, but even taking that into consideration, the
failure to take up their measly allocation of 250 is staggering.
Prices
at the Santiago Bernabeu, starting at 70 euros for away fans, will have
made up some supporter's minds. Atletico Madrid fans have had an
expensive time of it lately with last season’s trips to London and
Lisbon in the Champions League semi-final and final.
It seems,
the fact that there are no more than five miles between stadiums has not
been enough to tempt them to put their hands in their pockets and the
fact that the game is not available on terrestrial television has also
not got the waverers heading to the club’s ticket office.
There
is also an element of derby-fatigue after these sides met twice in the
Spanish Super Cup just last month. And Juventus are in town on October 1
as Atletico’s Champions League adventure kicks-off against the Italian
champions.
Even
with the Atletico fans’ no-show there will be 81,000 supporters in the
Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday as Real look to make up for losing both
the league and the Super Cup to their neighbours in recent months. If
Atletico score - the silence will be deafening.
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