Slavia go enter one kind noise tonight wey pesin no dey forget. The Czech champions dey face Fenerbahçe Istanbul for Champions League, kickoff na 18:45, and the roar wey dey come out from the stadium dey regularly touch the 130 decibel mark. Na level wey dem dey compare with the noise of fighter jet when e dey take off.
David Pavelka know that place well. The former Sparta captain spend almost five years for Istanbul and play for Kasimpasa, and before the match e talk say the Slavia boys go meet real hell. “I know for sure say hell dey wait for the Slavia players. Sometimes pesin go just get the urge to put im two hand on top im ear, the noise dey pain well well,” na so Pavelka, wey don turn football agent for Sport Invest, yarn. E add say e go still dey support the Czech champions.
E remember one match when Kasimpasa travel go play for Fenerbahçe. The Fener fans pack themselves behind both goals and dem no stop to whistle Robin van Persie, the biggest star for the team that time. The message wey dem send no dey hidden: as the most expensive signing for the club history, e dey play far below wetin dem expect from am.
Wetin shock Pavelka pass na how Van Persie take handle am. The striker know the kind dissatisfaction wey dey come im way, and e humble himself, waka go listen to am under each section of the fans one by one. “I just dey look with my mouth open,” Pavelka talk.
E explain say Turks get rituals and chants wey don old for dem, and na mainly foreigners no dey quick understand wetin dey happen inside stadium. The fans go call player come close, then either dem dey hail am or dem dey scold am. Van Persie collect serious whistle that time. E no dey play well, e get wahala with the coach, and e still be the most expensive player for the team. Pavelka talk say e get the feeling say the striker come out to redeem imself small and beg the fans for forgiveness.
For tonight, Pavelka talk say e no know how many people go enter the stadium, but if fifty thousand come and the place full, then na complete hell with everything inside.
One question dey for the air: the 0:6 wey Fenerbahçe chop for Aston Villa ground last week, e go shake dem? Pavelka talk say the Fener players look naive that day and dem collect correct beating. But today dem fit begin feel say Slavia no be the strongest opponent, and that kind feeling fit lead to underestimation, something wey Turks dey slide into sometimes. E add say even scout colleagues for im line of work write am say dem no really understand that Fener match. For one side, Slavia fit use small arrogance, but for the other side, quality wey big dey wait for dem for pitch. Greenwood, Lukaku, Guendouzi, Kahveci, Ederson for goal, and Nelson Semedo too.
Another pesin wey go dey watch from afar na Köstl, the coach of Slovak club Ružomberok. E spend six years for Slavia, and for that time dem stand side by side for more than 300 matches. This Tuesday evening e go sit down in front of television. “I dey try watch Slavia as much as I can. Most matches I dey put on. After morning training, na only the evening dey my mind,” e talk. Im prediction strong: “The boys go repeat the win. Even during the draw I talk say I trust dem for Istanbul pass Baku.”
E also sabi wetin e mean to face that kind home atmosphere, although that time, because of covid and quarrel between fans and club management, the crowd no come anywhere near.
Before the senior team enter pitch, the Slavia U19 side don already do the job for the same city. Dem beat Fenerbahçe 3:1 for Istanbul for Youth League, na their third win for the competition, and halfway through the league phase dem don almost lock their place for the knockout round.
