Cluj, Romania

Again a Romanian team, and I am again trying to get a visa for Romania although we are also in the European Union. The thing is that when I used to live just next to the consulate I did not need to take visas so frequently and after I moved from there I  constantly have to visit my old street now. Fortunately, the officers of the Romanian consulate know me and I can easily obtain a visa and this time they gave me a visa of  10 days, May God bless them.

Turkish people for some reason feel great interest to sports if the matches are in Romania, Ukraine and Estonia... Folks stop working and hit the road for the sake of their team. Additionally, they do not go to Romania on the day of the match which is only 1 hour by plane but they go a few days earlier with an eye to concentrate better and get in the mood for the match.

This time inasmuch as the match was in Cluj but not in Bucharest and there were no direct flights to Cluj I went with these teammates of mine to Cluj one day earlier. Actually, team and we were going to Cluj on separate planes but because there was not much demand (I am still in a shock how this happened anyway), two flights were combined and we learned at the airport that we would fly with the team in the same plane. Of course, when the passengers of two flights were combined the plane was jam-packed. I was mad with the idea that those who did not come were the ones who did not believe in the victory of our team however the Romanian girls' anger, crying and losing their self-control when they learned that Turkish men would not come, of course was incomparable.

What I can say about our journey is that, the fortunate ones often are the ones working in sponsor companies in foreign flights. I used the word “ones” instead of “fans” because most of the people who were on the plane were not even Galatasaray fans, and sometimes even those who have nothing to do with football.  The Companies choose these persons for this overseas trip and same may even come to the plane shamelessly by wearing the opposing team’s scarf. I suppose that you have guessed what happens to them. Yes, you guessed that all the man in the aircraft swooped down on the man and said “take that scarf off or you will have to eat it, here is not a bear garden, this is the Galatasaray plane, you rude guy!!!. 

You are wrong. No one said anything while the guy was wandering around. I was the only one to say “Gentleman, please take that scarf off, what you do is a disgrace as if to spite”.  And the rest of our conversation was routine within the boundaries of civility (!).

Oh, I must admit that my words made me the hero of a myth. For months, people called me she's the hero in the plane and even Mr. Erman Toroğlu talked about me in his TV program. Then why do I still criticize this situation? Because in matches played in foreign countries I may accept all kinds of the flags or football jerseys but it is nothing but provocation to come to the fans’ airplane wearing the scarf of our long-standing rival. It is just like the event when a woman recently went to Galatasaray Island and laid the towel of our archrival and began to cry after being expelled... Even though I am one of the most ardent defenders of the idea that sport is the purpose of amusement I, unfortunately have no and will ever have no tolerance for such actions tease and annoy others. On the contrary I believe that these kind of actions turn competition to hate and destroy tolerance.

Anyway, let's talk about Cluj now. Cluj, with a population of about 700.000, has still the traces of communism evidently; it is a very green but just an ordinary European city.

The weather is not as cold as Manchester but still it has brass monkey weather! I went out planning to take some photos but I can easily say that I could not find anything interesting. The following photos, maybe you will not believe, but belong to Cluj’s city center. I took the photos from both sides so that I see could see something, but no hope...

Inasmuch as there was nothing else to do in the evening and we wanted to see the team before the match, the match we went to the training in Dr. Constantin Radulescu stadium where the match would be played. If the team is in a good mood during the training the next day the match always will end with the best result. Proven by experience.

The first 15 minutes of the training is open to the press, then the journalists have to leave stadium. The journalists think that after they leave the stadium, very secret and awesome occurrences take place and write about exclusive tactics are given and etc. However the team usually make short passes in confined space or a light workout in their last pre-match training.

Only the players in the first 11 receive more attention however this time the first 11 is not very secret. Especially Ujfaluji, the backbone of defense is permanently injured, as well as the most experienced striker Elmander in addition, to Engin Baytar the most surprising player of Galatasaray who has headbutted the referee and received 11 matches penalty and who is in a bad condition; there are no alternatives  who can be elected by tossing a coin. The players who can play are known by everyone ... Fernando Muslera, Emanule Eboue, Cris, Dany, Albert Riera, Hamit Altıntop, Yekta Kurtuluş, Selçuk İnan, Emre Çolak, Burak Yılmaz, Umut Bulut

After training, we went to the Italian restaurant named Baracca. http://www.baracca.ro/ We had not actually expect so good quality food in Cluj and we really liked the place. The only downside was smoking inside the restaurant. Smoking is allowed everywhere in Cluj since they have not yet passed to “Smokeless Air Field” application. The only good place I can tell about Cluj is this restaurant. There may be some other beautiful memories to be told by our friends or other places to go there but I do not know the details incident thereto inasmuch as I cannot see these friends until the match time.

Let's talk about the game now: Cluj, albeit it seems like the weakest link in the Champions League Group H, has beaten Braga in away game, and drawed with us in terrible rainy weather so it was not a low hanging fruit at all. This game would be literally a "make or break " match for us. I was comfortable because the team's coach is Fatih Terim and I was sure that we shall not cry uncle in such a short period of time. I even sent twitter messages on the day of the match saying “we can definitely win". However the match was still very exciting.

They generally make us sit among the supporters of the home team in the grandstand instead of Galatasaray fans in away matches. Normally, I cannot even find a sandwich to eat in these matches but this time there was a private lounge that I saw for the first time in the Champions League where you could find a perfect menu. I did not take photos to avoid vulgarity, but there was an open buffet, pinball, sweepstakes, etc... Now then you've accepted the fact that I cannot write a match and travel writing where food is not mentioned I can go on explaining the match.

When we scored the first goal the Turks living in Romania were also very happy and cheered with us but I did not understand why the girls who had nothing to do with the match and smoking like a chimney were delighted. No problem, what is important is that they cheered with us ... When Romanians scored a goal in 52th minute one of these girls also was very happy and cheered crazily. And they looked back and made strange gestures... I was waiting for the second goal and making plans on pulling her nasty hair out at the same time. Anyway, she must pray God that Burak Yılmaz scored two more goals, and I did not have to pull her nasty hair out. In the meantime, Burak Yılmaz, became the first Turkish player to make hat-trick in the Champions League which was a record that will not easily be broken by anyone. This match ticket adorned with his signature was more valuable to me after that.

Remind me some time later to write an article about the football expressions we are accustomed to hear frequently in comments in football  programs (such as hat trick, bee that does not make honey, to outclass in the match, attack from the sides,  the stopper was assigned to play in the center, to create a very suitable position, wall pass, etc ...)

Speaking of chatting, there was another reason why we beat Cluj so heartily which I did not know. You will understand what I mean when you look at the photo below taken in the foundation year of the team. :))

After the match, we came back home via a terminal which was actually closed but opened specially for us at the airport. They wanted to do this for convenience but we could enter in one hour because only two officers made passport control and body search at the same time. Remember that teams also have priority just like the flight crew at airports. Otherwise our trainer Fatih Terim will smile you sweetly (!) as he did to me because I passed before them.

It was 4 o’clock in the morning when we arrived Istanbul. Because of shouting in the match and due to lack of sleep we were walking quietly to the passport point. One of the woman said "How many goals did they score to your team?" to our group.  I thought ”my great God, do you always choose me to teach manners to these people?"  It took solely a total of  2 seconds for me to put my hands on my waist and say "what being beaten: we beat them 3-1”.

This time do not expect any jerseys from me to no avail. I hope next time to return from the Braga match, both in victory and with jerseys...