Andorra (A) - the game

[pineapple stu]

Post any information on the match in Andorra in here. I'll try keep a summary of the main links in this post.

Other links -

Accommodation (hotels to campsites) (http://foot.ie/threads/131656-Andorra-(A)-accommodation)
Flights (or other means of getting there) (http://foot.ie/threads/131657-Andorra-(A)-flights)
Charter travel (incl tour operator bookings, charter buses, taxis, etc) (http://foot.ie/threads/131658-Andorra-(A)-charter-travel)
Places (towns, internal travel, reccies, etc) (http://foot.ie/threads/131659-Andorra-(A)-places)
Pubs (things to do, other chat) (http://foot.ie/threads/131660-Andorra-(A)-pubs)
General (things to do, other chat) (http://foot.ie/threads/131559-Andorra-(A)-the-game)

Date - Friday 7 October 2011
Venue - TBC
Kick off - TBC

[Greenforever]

Do Andorra play all thier games in Barcelona?

[lopez]

The last two home games against England were played at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium which was Espanyol's home until last year. If we play them on a Saturday, I can't see any option but to have the game at this stadium.

[pineapple stu]

They played us in the Ministad in 2001, which is another option.

[stiffler]

I think this will be the game we draw the biggest number of supporters to.

[mypost]

They only play in Barcelona when a big crowd is expected.

[newrynyuk]

They only play in Barcelona when a big crowd is expected.

Am I being presumptuous in thinking there will be a big crowd expected at this match? If the Andorran FA have any smarts about them, they will agree to host the Ireland at the Barcelona Olympic Stadium on Saturday the 4th of June 2011. 20,000+ travelling support guaranteed.

[dan o d]

any idea how many travelled there in 2001?

[Drumcondra 69er]

any idea how many travelled there in 2001?

Bout 5 or 6 thousand if memory serves. The mini Nou holds around 13,000 I think and wasn't half full. Bit hazy though!

In fairness we had Holland and Portugal so there were a lot more attractive trips then this time, I'd expect more to travel this campaign.

[lopez]

Bout 5 or 6 thousand if memory serves. The mini Nou holds around 13,000 I think and wasn't half full. Bit hazy though!

In fairness we had Holland and Portugal so there were a lot more attractive trips then this time, I'd expect more to travel this campaign.I think that was about right. It was mid week aswell. Spain were going to play France in Barcelona and switched the game to Valencia. I've only stood outside the Lluis Companys looking in...twice, so I'm hoping it will be played there.

[dan o d]

judging by number of views and commens on this forum- andorra away seems to be one most people are interested in travelling to.
id personally much prefer to stay in barcelona than bratislava or moscow

[Dodge]

I'd say it's more likely to be played in Espanyol's new ground than the Olympic Stadium (size wise )

[pineapple stu]

I see Russia are playing in the Estadi Communal in Andorra according to the UEFA site (http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro2012/matches/season=2012/live/day=3/session=1/match=2002242/matchcenterlight/index.html?&match=). I was there in the summer and don't know how it's capable of hosting a qualifier to be honest. One stand which holds maybe 1000 - five or six rows only - and that's it. Worth keeping an eye on though.

[Kingdom]

This is our penultimate game, a game hopefully we win to qualify. If that turns out to be the scenario, I can see a geansai load of Irish wanting to go there.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Delaney said they were going to ask the Andorrans to play in Barcelona, though guess he'll leave the choice of ground to them....

[paul_oshea]

This is our penultimate game, a game hopefully we win to qualify. If that turns out to be the scenario, I can see a geansai load of Irish wanting to go there.

does that statement still hold?! ;)

[holidaysong]

Any word yet on whether this game will be in Barcelona? Going to book a holiday there around it if it is. I'm assuming getting hold of tickets won't be a problem?

[Claret Murph]

Again it's a wait and see as the game is just under a year away so no rush I would say .

[Hibs4Ever]

Not the greatest of sources, but the wiki page for our group has us down for Barcelona, with every other Andorra home game playing in Andorra

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2012_qualifying_Group_B#Results_and_fixt ures

[gspain]

UEFA site has no venue yet albeit most games on those dates are like that.

I'm not convinced we'd be allowed play in Barcelona considering all other games are in Andorra. It would give us an unfair advantage.

[ArdeeBhoy]

See my Delaney comment above GS.
Believe you were at the same meeting where JD pronounced on this??

Not that he decides though.

[eaststand85]

UEFA site has no venue yet albeit most games on those dates are like that.

I'm not convinced we'd be allowed play in Barcelona considering all other games are in Andorra. It would give us an unfair advantage.

Don't think it makes any difference, on that basis surely we should have played Slovakia in Bratislava rather than Zilina and Italy in Rome or Milan rather than Bari? Plenty of host nations spread their games around different venues.

[pineapple stu]

I imagine the difference is playing in a different country. UEFA can be sticklers about that.

[eaststand85]

I imagine the difference is playing in a different country. UEFA can be sticklers about that.

Is that why we've played them in Barcelona the last few times? ;)

[pineapple stu]

We've only played them the once. ;)

Didn't they play all their games in Barca that campaign though? My point was that maybe there was an issue over playing some games in one country and some games in another. It's only a guess though.

[mypost]

They played us and Holland in Barcelona, Portugal in Spain, and the other teams in Andorra.

[gspain]

See my Delaney comment above GS.
Believe you were at the same meeting where JD pronounced on this??

Not that he decides though.

I was and he did say it. You are correct in what you say however I'm sure we'll be allowed by UEFA. It is a different country. The only reason for moving it would be to allow more fans in. It would give us an advantage particularly if it is a key game and that is the main reason we'd want it moved.

[Gather round]

UEFA site has no venue yet albeit most games on those dates are like that.

I'm not convinced we'd be allowed play in Barcelona considering all other games are in Andorra. It would give us an unfair advantage

Doesn't your advantage follow simply from having more fans that travel? Which also offers an advantage to the Andorra FA presumably, as they'll earn more from the game.

If Russia or Slovakia were likely to turn up with 5,000 fans (or whatever the number is), wouldn't Andorra be only too pleased/ insistent on hiring a bigger stadium in Spain?

[mypost]

Russia were already there, and brought a few hundred with them.

You shouldn't need an advantage to beat Andorra, except if it comes to winning 3-0 instead of 3-1.

[gspain]

Appreciate the point re Andorra should be a guaranteed 3 points but UEFA must be seen to be treating Andorra the same as other countries.

However Andorra were allowed to play England in Barcelona in recent campaigns and the other games in Andorra so it seems that Andorra
will be allowed to move the game if they wish.

For a team like Andorra it makes no odds but if you allow this then a better team could move a game for financial reward but lose home advantage thus giving the away team an
advantage. If Armenia for example were to try and move their game v Russia to a big stadium in Georgia that would giv ethe russians an advantage over Slovakia and us who had to go to Yerevan. I know it happens with regards to war or crowd trouble but allowing a country to do it for other reasons seems unfair.

Now it may be the case in England's group that the other countries gave the go ahead. I know iut makes sense to accommodate everyone who wants to see the game and it
is a windfall for a small FA.

Given the economic climate in the country and that Russia look odds on to win the group now 2,000 of the 2,500 tickets available probably would be enough and probably easily obtained.
Local demand will probably be a few hundred at best. Given the costs in moving to Barcelona I suspect they'll opt to keep it at home. However if we were to win our next 4 games then there would be a mad rush for tickets albeit probably too late to move the game then.

[holidaysong]

Any word yet on whether this game will be in Barcelona? Going to book a holiday there around it if it is. I'm assuming getting hold of tickets won't be a problem?

Just bumping the thread, does anyone know when the venue for this might be confirmed?

[mypost]

Given the economic climate in the country and that Russia look odds on to win the group now 2,000 of the 2,500 tickets available probably would be enough and probably easily obtained.
Local demand will probably be a few hundred at best. Given the costs in moving to Barcelona I suspect they'll opt to keep it at home. However if we were to win our next 4 games then there would be a mad rush for tickets albeit probably too late to move the game then.

We're top of the group* atm, so anyone could win the group.

There was only a couple of hundred at the Andorra-Slovakia game, there's no way we're going to bring 20,000 over there. When we got San Marino last time, everyone said that their 4k stadium couldn't handle our numbers. But we played there and it handled our numbers easily. In a better economic climate. You're probably looking at 1500-2000 max heading over there, and the game wouldn't have to be moved.

*not counting head-to-head until return games have been played.

[ArdeeBhoy]

That's all fair enough. Is is 30 or 90 days notice they have to declare the venue?
In which case, we won't know for another 2 months at the earliest.

All this will be is to cement a place in the play-offs at best, anyway....

[brendy_éire]

That's all fair enough. Is is 30 or 90 days notice they have to declare the venue?
In which case, we won't know for another 2 months at the earliest.

60 days.

I wouldn't imagine ye'd get over 2,000 people heading to Andorra for the match, so can't see it being an issue for tickets anyway.

[ArdeeBhoy]

So we'd know early August, hmm.

Here's it to being Andorra, though Barca would be more of a formality, too many pickpockets in the latter.

[gspain]

So we'd know early August, hmm.

Here's it to being Andorra, though Barca would be more of a formality, too many pickpockets in the latter.

We may know earlier but early August at the latest.

Best advice is fly to the Barcelona area eg Barcelona/Reus/Girona and book hotels that can be cancelled for free.

[dotts101]

if the game is in andorra or barce, will have to fly into barcelona anyway, so is best to book early. me+4 are going and have already booked flights. dublin-gatwick, gatwick-barca, barca-gatwick, gatwick-dublin. 164e is cheapest option of getting there thurs-sat.

[Reildogg]

Flying over friday-monday with Aer Lingus only 140 return so that'd be a bit cheaper and can fly out friday!

[dotts101]

is that flight not friday evening? when the match is due to take place?

[newrynyuk]

UEFA site has no venue yet albeit most games on those dates are like that.

I'm not convinced we'd be allowed play in Barcelona considering all other games are in Andorra. It would give us an unfair advantage.

It's Andorra, home advantage is a non-issue. Ireland will get 3 points agianst them wherever the match is played (I hope!).

What concernes Andorra I dare say is the number of travelling fans. Even in these harsh economic times, we can expect at least 1,000 to travel and the Andorran FA will try to accommodate them in a bigger stadium. Personally I'd love it if it was in Andorra, but the 3 hour bus journey is a bit offputting.

[paul_oshea]

is it def on in barcelona?

[ArdeeBhoy]

If you read the thread, there's your answer.
But to be exact, currently, no. Venue tbc.

[paul_oshea]

ya but i got confused with them all booking barcelona.

so is it 90 days beforehand at the latest? flights shouldn't be that much more 3 months beforehand....

[ArdeeBhoy]

60 days, AFAIK.

Barca poss.the nearest airport, regardless? If not, not by much?

[dotts101]

barcelona and toulouse are closest airports but barca is most conveinient

[ArdeeBhoy]

There's also a couple of Ryanair destinations;Girona & Perpignan near too.

[Reildogg]

@dotts101
Sorry forgot we had switched to Friday games!! Stand corrected!

[paul_oshea]

ya i live in london so there might be a few options whether or not i can get to andorra from them is another thing...

[SolitudeRed]

So its looking likely this will be in Barcelona then? any ideas on what the ticket prices will be?

[ArdeeBhoy]

€15-20 max?