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Sturm Graz: Fans criticize the alternative stadium with creative actions
Sturm fans show creative criticism with a banner: “Sturm’s home must be Graz”. Find out more about the fans' discontent during the Champions League game against Sporting Lisbon.
Sturm Graz: Fans criticize the alternative stadium with creative actions
Last night a remarkable action took place at the Wörthersee Stadium in Klagenfurt when SK Sturm Graz had to play against the Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon. Kick-off was at 9 p.m. and unfortunately the Graz players had to go home with a 2-0 defeat. However, the disappointment with the result was overshadowed by an even more explosive issue: the venue of the game.
Before and during the game, the Sturm fans showed their dissatisfaction with the decision not to play the Champions League home game in their home town of Graz. This decision has been met with resistance from the fan base for quite some time, and they expressed this criticism in creative ways. Before the game, several town signs in Graz with the addition “am Wörthersee?” pasted over, which made it clear that many fans do not agree with the current situation.
Criticism through banners and creative actions
Another sign of the fans' protest attitude came in the form of a banner that was visible at the game. The banner read: “Incidentally, we are of the opinion that Sturm’s homeland must be Graz.” This message was not only aimed at expressing displeasure with the venue in Klagenfurt, but was also an ironic allusion to the fact that the home game was played in another city and not in their own stadium, the Merkur Arena in Graz-Liebenau. Such actions by fans are a clear signal that many of the club's supporters want a return to the original location.
The background to this protest is varied. Apparently the conditions in their own stadium do not meet the requirements for a Champions League game, and this is a recurring topic among Sturm Graz's loyal supporters. However, the creative way in which fans express their displeasure also shows their deep connection to their club and their roots in their city.
The discussion about SK Sturm Graz's home games will continue in the coming days and weeks. For further information and reports on what is happening around this topic, see the current reporting on www.5min.at.