Qarabag away.
Well, what a cracking result for Newcastle United last night, 6-1 away in the Champions League, it doesn’t get better than that.
For us travelling Mags it started for me, Phil T, Chrissy Numbers and JM, leaving Central at 9.27am Monday morning, then Heathrow to Warsaw, then on to Baku, getting us there for 7am Tuesday.
A quick kip in our apartment and then it’s out to see some off the cultural delights of Baku. Namely The Hairy Lemon, O’Mallys, Finnegans and the Remove The Name bar.
Fulfilled culturally wise, it is a not so early night and ready for match day.
Now up to this point, I couldn’t speak highly enough of Baku, its residents and spotless streets, with street cleaners and coppers highly visible on the streets and not a sign of graffiti.
We walked down to the Radisson to collect our match ticket.
Unfortunately, Newcastle United had decided that instead of digital tickets, a nice 40 minute queue was the order of the day. Of course I asked why. Only to be fobbed off with the excuse that they weren’t sure the turnstiles at the ground could cope with the upgraded technology.
Tickets eventually sorted and it’s out again for more cultural enrichment, meeting up with a few of wor lot and brilliant to see literally hundreds of junior toons getting that euro away buzz.
The match didn’t kick off until 9.45pm, so lots of us turned up at the ground very culturally enriched and…what a game!
As some of you might know, I am Newcastle’s number one fickle fan. So to see Anthony Gordon doing the business. it certainly made my humble pie taste all the sweeter.
Photo by Tony Mallabar via The Mag
As I said earlier, the locals couldn’t have been nicer. So friendly and genuine, proud of what they have got. Not only structurally stunning but an extremely cheap gaff.
However, as we came out of the ground the old bill funnelled us down a side street filled with taxis, who were eager to rip their visitors off. Saying it would be 30 local AZNs, only to ask for that per person upon arrival.
I heard of one group of lads who got a taxi, only for the fare to be quadrupled. When challenged on this, Mr taxi driver summoned some mates quick sharpish and it turned nasty very quickly, only for a local lass to appear from a house and give the lads shelter. Telling them you definitely don’t want to be crossing them, as it never ends well for the tourists.
So Baku, you have a brilliant city and fantastic inhabitants, but this needs sorting ASAP.
Photo by Tony Mallabar via The Mag
Anyway, hopefully that’s us through to the last 16 and a possible trip to Barcelona.