Andorra (A) - the game

[dotts101]

The Football Association of Ireland today (July 6) confirmed that the Andorran Football Association has written to UEFA to request that the Euro 2012 qualification match on October 7, 2011 against the Republic of Ireland be played in Barcelona. The AFA made the request following discussions with the FAI to accommodate all Irish travelling supporters. The FAI will notify fans when UEFA make a decision.

[jbyrne]

The Football Association of Ireland today (July 6) confirmed that the Andorran Football Association has written to UEFA to request that the Euro 2012 qualification match on October 7, 2011 against the Republic of Ireland be played in Barcelona. The AFA made the request following discussions with the FAI to accommodate all Irish travelling supporters. The FAI will notify fans when UEFA make a decision.

if in barcelona it will be in espanyols new stadium i understand..

http://www.stadiumguide.com/espanolnew.htm

[Kingdom]

Emmet Malone suggested as much today.

Reus, Girona, Carcassone, Toulouse, even Valencia at a push.

That's my 30th, I have to go over really don't I?

[BonnieShels]

Yes. I'll be at Oktoberfest the week before. I'm looking into Munich to Barca now.

[dotts101]

anybody booked accomadation??? any recommendations??? what areas are ya staying in???

[AidoP]

Yes. I'll be at Oktoberfest the week before. I'm looking into Munich to Barca now.

Ill be going from Munich to Barcelona myself and at the moment the direct flights are €180 and €131 for the flights with a stopover. Thats for Thursday to Sunday.

[BonnieShels]

Ill be going from Munich to Barcelona myself and at the moment the direct flights are €180 and €131 for the flights with a stopover. Thats for Thursday to Sunday.

good man. Can't convince my mate to come with me so that's the stumbling block at the minute.

[paul_oshea]

Go on yer own, ive done it loads, you will still have good craic!

[BonnieShels]

Ah that's not the issue Paul. Just booking flights is complicated if um getting a one way to Munich and he's getting a return. We shall deal with it in time.

[ArdeeBhoy]

if in barcelona it will be in espanyols new stadium i understand..

http://www.stadiumguide.com/espanolnew.htm
You sure about that?

Mini Camp Nou, much smaller and more apt.
Only going to be around 5k max unless a win there and v. Armenia meant automatic qualification.
Even so, 10k max, whatever.

[brendy_éire]

It'll probably be Mini Estadi alright. Barcelona B play there. It's right beside Camp Nou. Holds 15,000 odd.

Andorra have also played the odd match at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, which, if you recall, is where Espanyol played "temporarily" for 14 years, before they moved in 2009.

[paul_oshea]

i dont think there will be 5k over there at the match.

[jbyrne]

You sure about that?

Mini Camp Nou, much smaller and more apt.
Only going to be around 5k max unless a win there and v. Armenia meant automatic qualification.
Even so, 10k max, whatever.

yes, thats what i have been told

[mypost]

The Football Association of Ireland today (July 6) confirmed that the Andorran Football Association has written to UEFA to request that the Euro 2012 qualification match on October 7, 2011 against the Republic of Ireland be played in Barcelona. The AFA made the request following discussions with the FAI to accommodate all Irish travelling supporters. The FAI will notify fans when UEFA make a decision.

If only 5k are travelling, they'll be "lost" in that stadium, and it would have made more sense to leave it in Andorra. Fwiw, I don't think 5k will travel. 3k at the most. When we played San Marino, the place only held 4k, but that was still more than enough to hold our support. And that was when people had money.

[BonnieShels]

Yeah, but you fail to realise that Delaney has laid on a direct bus. No excuses for any of us not to go. JD is a ledgebag!

[dotts101]

direct bus?

[BonnieShels]

*whoosh*


Dotts, is get acquainted with the phrase. You'll be hearing it a lot.

[pateen]

It'll probably be Mini Estadi alright. Barcelona B play there. It's right beside Camp Nou. Holds 15,000 odd.

Andorra have also played the odd match at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, which, if you recall, is where Espanyol played "temporarily" for 14 years, before they moved in 2009.

So any news then?
Anyone know when we'll be told. I',m seeing 90 days and 60 days but nothing conformed yet

[ArdeeBhoy]

yes, thats what i have been told
If it is fair enough, but sure read somewhere, probably speculative, link saying it was the mini-Camp Nou but am open to being corrected....

[dotts101]

BARCAMET30 use this code when booking with aer lingus before august 11th and get 30%, meteor deal

[philkildare]

Booked flights dub-Paris beuvais, paris- Barcelona el prat. €120.00 return. Anyone else going this way??

[cufc champions]

Any sign of this being confirmed, its well inside the 60 day and the FAI are still not releasing any information.

[dotts101]

http://www.ybig.ie/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=25166&PN=62&title=andorra-away

[ArdeeBhoy]

The Espanyol ground...makes no sense.

[EastTerracer]

The Espanyol ground...makes no sense.

I agree the mini-Estadi might have been a more sensible (and convenient option) but this isn't a surprise. The Irish Times said the new Espanyol stadium was the most likely venue well over a month ago (based on their conversations with some Andorran contacts).

When have football associations ever done anything that made sense?

[ArdeeBhoy]

Too true.

Must be based on some dubious transaction to guarantee this if it's here, as huge in relation to the potential crowd.

[AidoP]

Is there anybody planning on staying in Salou when they travel? I plan to travel on the Thursday till Monday and a mate of mine in Ireland said that a few fans are planning on staying there rather than in Barcelona so I might do that myself.

[BonnieShels]

I tried to broach a trip to Spain with this thrown in. Did not go down well.

[jbyrne]

the Irish Times reporting this morning that UEFA have declined Andorras request to switch the match to barcelona...

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/0826/1224303006793.html

[dotts101]

fai confirm on twitter game in andorra f#ckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

[Drumcondra 69er]

fai confirm on twitter game in andorra f#ckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

Really? I rang them an hour ago and they said nothing had been decided yet and it's be next week before they knew? Russian fingerprints all over this....

Boll1x anyway, full statement here...

FAI appealing UEFA’s decision on Andorra match venue

The FAI is seeking to have the decision of UEFA’s Competitions Department to proceed with the Andorra vs. Republic of Ireland game in Andorra overturned. The FAI has appealed to UEFA to seek to have the Andorran FA’s original request for the game to be played in Barcelona upheld.



Commenting on the decision by the UEFA Competition’s Department, FAI CEO John Delaney said the decision goes against previous UEFA and FIFA precedents involving Ireland, England and the Netherlands – all of whom have played their matches against Andorra in Barcelona without issue.



“We are appealing this decision with UEFA”, Delaney added. “Given previous precedents, and the likely volume of fans wanting to attend, we believe the game should take place in Barcelona particularly as the home association had made the request to UEFA ”, Delaney said. “This is a real blow to our fans many of whom have already made their arrangements to travel”, he added.



The FAI has written to UEFA’s Head of Competitions and engaged in a series of contacts to have the decision re-considered. The FAI has also written to UEFA’s General Secretary seeking a reconsideration of the venue.



Among the key points made by the FAI to UEFA in appealing the decision were:



The FAI has co-operated fully with the Andorra Football Association’s request to UEFA to stage the game in Barcelona following their approach to the UEFA Competitions Department in early July. Both associations had agreed that they were willing to play the game in Barcelona.



The previous Andorra vs. Republic of Ireland game was also played in Barcelona on 28/3/2001. There is a series of precedents in the recent past which all concur with the game being played in Barcelona. These include two matches between Andorra and England and one between Andorra and the Netherlands in addition to the above mentioned match versus Ireland.



The interest in the game from the Irish supporters is very significant and many fans have already made flight booking and hotel accommodation arrangements. The disruption and financial pain, particularly in these very difficult economic times when fans have very little disposable income, caused to these fans will be immense. The FAI also believes that many more fans intended travelling, over and above those already committed.



The FAI believes that in light of the many precedents and examples of UEFA and FIFAs’ willingness to allow Andorra to use Barcelona previously and in the interests of all the fans who would wish to attend the game, the fixture would be best served by taking place in Barcelona.

[brendy_éire]

Doesn't affect me personally, as I'm flying to Nice and driving, but this is getting beyond a joke.
UEFA are breaking their own 60-day rule. This is seriously fecking over the fans.

I'd guess that only thing wrong with the match being playing in Barcelona is the objections of Slovakia and Russia.

[dotts101]

russia allowed england play in barca in 07 or 08, so why diff now?

[holidaysong]

Anyone know how the public transport links between Barcelona and Andorra are?

I've 5 nights in Barcelona already booked so I'll lose one of those nights. On top of that I'll have to try book a room in Andorra on match night, then there is the extra travel expenses and that's all before the hassle of getting match tickets.

I'm sure a lot of people will be in the same position. Bit of a balls all round really.

[Gather round]

Bad luck lads, another bizarre ****-up by UEFA.

Apart from coaches into Andorra, you could take the scenic route on a Cercania (regional/ suburban train) to Latour de Carol, then L'Hospitalet pres L'Andorre (on the border, buses to La Vella). Probably take all day, mind.

I haven't seen D9-69 so glum since Rovers scored that penalty on Thursday...

[Newryrep]

russia allowed england play in barca in 07 or 08, so why diff now?

because Russia went on to only beat Andorra 1-0 ( nearly saving Steve McLaren bacon in the process as a draw would of meant the Croatia 3-2 home defeat wouldnt of mattered)

[pineapple stu]

Anyone know how the public transport links between Barcelona and Andorra are?
They're grand, but it's a long-ish trip. Buses direct from either Barca airport or outside Sants Station (main bus/train station) - trip takes about 3 hours I think. Regular enough.

Agree with GR's alternative route - stunning trip, particularly if you're going by your own steam (motorway from Barca towards Perpignan, and then turn off for Andorra). That's about a five-hour drive though.

Remember Andorra's only small, so while the game will be on in Andorra-la-Vella (pending appeal), it's definitely an option to book accommodation in somewhere like Arinsal and get a taxi back after the game/drinks.

[Wolfman]

Have a look on I think, it's seat61.com?

[dotts101]

appeal has beem rejected, http://faireland.posterous.com/uefa-turn-down-fai-appeal

[holidaysong]

Confirmed for Andorra now.

Got bus information here: http://www.alsa.es/portal/site/Alsa

They're pretty regular thankfully and return ticket from Barcelona for just under €50. Booked a hotel in Andorra for match night too. Just hoping I don't miss out on a ticket for the match now. Would be a disaster to go all that way and end up watching it on TV in a pub beside the ground.

[Fr. Joe]

Any fans thinking of running buses from Barca to Andorra just for the game??

[Guitd]

not a chance of getting tickets for this game only 850 seats so rep of ireland might get 100

[holidaysong]

We will get more like 1000. It's a 1800 seater ground (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estadi_Comunal_d%27Aixovall) and Andorra usually have around 500 home fans. Should leave us with the remainder.

[Hibs4Ever]

............

[Drumcondra 69er]

Bad luck lads, another bizarre ****-up by UEFA.

Apart from coaches into Andorra, you could take the scenic route on a Cercania (regional/ suburban train) to Latour de Carol, then L'Hospitalet pres L'Andorre (on the border, buses to La Vella). Probably take all day, mind.

I haven't seen D9-69 so glum since Rovers scored that penalty on Thursday...

Ain't that the truth, well ****ed off. Good to see you last week btw!

[EastTerracer]

We will get more like 1000. It's a 1800 seater ground (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estadi_Comunal_d%27Aixovall) and Andorra usually have around 500 home fans. Should leave us with the remainder.

Unfortunately it's not in the 1800 seater stadium as there are renovations going on there. We are playing in the other stadium (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estadi_Comunal_d%27Andorra_la_Vella)which only has 850 seats. The FAI will only have an official allocation of 85 tickets but the blazers and sponsors will use all of them. I think its down to the local ticket touts to try and get into the ground for this one.

This is the ground unfortunately....

http://www.stadionfotos.at/andorra_lavella_estadi_comunal/2011_03_26_Andorra_Slowakei_19.jpg
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/VucPuuh3P8-ijpcCSnZt6w?feat=directlinkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Stadium_andorra.png

[holidaysong]

This just gets worse...

[Wolfman]

Anyone fancy hiring one of those caravans overlooking the ground...

[EastTerracer]

Anyone fancy hiring one of those caravans overlooking the ground...

You might want to head over to the ybig site - they have been in touch with the campsite already.

[Doire Abu]

So anyone know the best place to watch the game in Barcelona?