The noises of the Alfredo Di Stéfano
When you visit a football match part of the experience is the sounds that you might be exposed to on the way and during the match. Up until recently I felt like I had a good grasp on what to expect: vendors selling shirts, scarves and snacks. The beeping noise of tickets being scanned, the metalic clicking of gates when fans enter the stadium and the deafening roars of fans during the game. My first visit to the Alfredo Di Stéfano was for a Castilla match earlier this month. The atmosphere in this tiny arena, which holds a little under 6000 people, was electric. There were drums lading chants. Groans of displeasure when a pass was unsuccessful and cursing in Spanish at every opponent on the pitch- including the referee on occasion-. It was exactly what you’d expect when visiting a football match outside of the top flight. An atmosphere led by local support chanting and cheering from the first kick to the final whistle. But on my most recent visit this same stadium seemed a paralel to itself.
The stadium was less packed admittedly, but the silence during the match was something I had never experienced before. Being able to hear the instructions from the coaches and players was foreign to me. It reminded me of the period of lockdown football when due to the pandemic matches had to be played behind closed doors. But the doors to the Alfredo Di Stéfano were open and the fans were kept sitting on the edge of their seats. Yes there was a clear lack of noise during the match, but that made it stand out when the fans did choose to let their voices be heard. The groaning and cheering which accompany any football match stood out in this sea of silence.
Pau Quesada’s players not only showed their teeth this match with razor sharp attacks but also showed their grit. When right back Sheila Garcia seemed to be badly hurt after a challenge in the second half her screams could be heard throughout the entire stadium- echoing onto the stands- leaving the crowd waiting in silence to see what the damage would amount to. If Garcia was unable to finish the match the home side would have to finish the match with 10 players, having just used their fifth substitute. It was nerve wracking. The scream of agony Garcia let out when going down and the painful cries that followed were truly unsettling. But the Spanish international pushed through and made her return onto the pitch a few minutes later. Real Madrid seemed unstoppable this match and Garcia proved herself to be truly unbreakable.
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