Champions League (2)

[Union Berlin’s First Match: Away at PFC CSKA Moscow.]

[Union Berlin Heads to Russia for a Hellish Away Match in Its First Game.]

Union Berlin’s opponent in its first-ever Champions League match was PFC CSKA Moscow.

Since its very first match was an away game—and one hell of a trip at that—it was only natural for everyone to feel tense.

‘Of all places, we have to play away in Russia.’

An away trip to Russia was objectively a difficult one.

The cold was bad enough, but the absurdly long journey was an especially serious problem.

The flight was so long that it made me wonder, ‘Isn’t Russia basically in Asia?’

At least CSKA Moscow was based in Russia’s capital; if it had been some other club, we could have been in real trouble.

‘……Come to think of it, the away trip to Türkiye isn’t exactly short either.’...