HSV coach with an appeal: "Ultimately, it's about sport"
Ahead of the explosive city duel at FC St. Pauli, HSV coach Tim Walter calls on all fans to remain calm and objective. "At the end of the day, it's about sport and it's important that everyone supports the sport and just lets the trappings be the trappings," he said ahead of the Bundesliga 2 match on Friday evening (18:30/Sky), which has been classified as a high-risk game.
More than 29,000 fans are expected at the Millerntor Stadium for the sold-out top match. The police want to keep the two rival fan groups away from each other with a large contingent.
Among other things, an alcohol ban will be in force in the stadium, a safety net will be hung in front of the stands and the fence to the pitch will be raised. FC St. Pauli asked fans not to come with copied tickets, as this would delay admission. The entrances will open two hours before kick-off.
St. Pauli captain Jackson Irvine had rejected an appeal to the fans before the derby: "I never tell fans how to behave," said the 30-year-old midfielder. He thinks they can control themselves and know how such games go. "So we have full confidence in everyone that the game can go off without a hitch."
The 110th edition of the duel is also special for a derby - because it's not just about decades of rivalry and prestige. The first and second teams in the league will also meet on Friday evening. HSV are currently three points behind league leaders FC St. Pauli.
Despite HSV being three points behind Bundesliga 2 leaders FC St. Pauli, their coach Tim Walter emphasizes the importance of keeping emotions in check during the upcoming city duel. He urges fans to focus on the sport, as the match against FC St. Pauli on Bundesliga 2 is classified as a high-risk game due to the intense rivalry between the two teams.
Source: www.dpa.com
