IFK Gothenburg has been at Nya Ullevi for large parts of the season. This is to be able to maximize the audience capacity while the audience restrictions still remained.
With the lifting of the restrictions at the end of September, Blåvitt moved back to Gamla Ullevi again. The result? Wins against both Örebro SK and Djurgården, and nice audience figures both times.
– It is difficult to describe in words what the audience means. Just to get back here and play in a tight arena with all the fans who are here. They have really stood up and kept us alive. It is clear that you feel a great responsibility towards them, to fight and play good football. It means an incredible amount, says Marcus Berg about the importance of moving back to Gamla Ullevi.
If you had to decide, would you have wanted to play at Gamla Ullevi all season?
– I guess a lot comes into play with finances and stuff. I know that it is quite a big difference to play at Nya Ullevi versus here, just during the pandemic.
Teammate August Erlingmark fills in, and likens the all-Swedish game at Nya Ullevi to playing a friendly match.
– It’s a bit of a training match feeling to play at Nya Ullevi. A bit like playing on a neutral level, even if the fans have done their part. It will be a different backdrop here, says Erlingmark and continues:
– The last percent after line-up helps. When you score goals, the boost here is something else. It helps us a lot.
Erlingmark’s midfield colleague, Gustav Svensson, is on the same track and expresses great gratitude that the blue and white supporters support in adversity.
– The grass could of course have been a little better, but to be back here and get the support we get from minute one to the last minute, it means a lot to us, says Svensson.
– I understand that it is more fun to watch us when we are in the battle for gold and fighting for gold, but we are very grateful that we get the support we get. This is a lot because of them (the supporters) as well, that we have managed to turn this around and that it looks better.
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