Welcome to the home of Legia Warsaw, Poland’s most successful football team. But the real story here is the home support. After flat out rioting in post match Vilnus in 2007 it’s fair to say fans of Legia are, put politely, controversial, and to be blunt, downright unhinged. And if football and politics is like mixing gunpowder, and, erm, guns, then Legia are packing some serious heat, annually celebrating the Warsaw Uprising and Polish Independence Day in full voice. They’re known for their lairy banners too. The most incendiary slogans to date read “Kosovo is Serbian”, the other declared “Jihad” in huge letters against Hapoel Tel Aviv in 2011.
Yikes. If you end up where the hardcores sit in the Żyleta stand, then keep your mouth shut and don’t refer to the ground as the Pepsi Stadium; the corporate sponsorship doesn’t go down well with the fanatics. Stick to raucously cheering on the home team with indistinct gibberish and try to enjoy the ride. After all, it’s just a game, isn’t it?