The Fortresses of Europe, 2008

Impenetrable. There are some stadiums, in some years, that are just nightmares to travel to and try to come away with a result. Some are always tough, like the Camp Nou … well, most years. Here are four this season that have been especially unwelcoming to domestic league visitors:

Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium (Panathinaikos) [pictured]
15 home games: No losses, 39 points, 4 goals allowed
– Olympiakos might have won the title (in court), but it’s Panathinaikos that takes the award for toughest fortress in Greek football, and perhaps in any domestic league in Europe this season. Four goals in fifteen matches is insanely stingy.

Stade Marcel Picot (Nancy)
18 home games: No losses, 44 points, 8 goals allowed
– Nancy have been hard on opposing strikers all season, allowing only 28 goals total, but with 20 of those coming on the road, visitors were denied at their stadium more than any other in France. If it wasn’t for their seven losses away from home, they may have made a real challenge for Lyon’s crown.

Allianz-Arena (Bayern Munich)
16 home games: No losses, 38 points, 7 goals allowed
– The new German champions were excellent everywhere this season (except Russia), but with a +30 goal differential in Munich, they were absolutely unstoppable.

Emirates Stadium (Arsenal)
19 home games: No losses, 47 points, 11 goals allowed
– Chelsea, who? Everyone goes on and on about the Blues’ endless streak at Stamford Bridge, but this season, Arsenal got five more points at home, and conceded one fewer goal. Even in the post-Eduardo chaos, things at the Emirates stayed very tight at the back.

Late addition:
Wisła Stadium (Wisła Krakow)
15 games: No losses, 43 points, 6 goals allowed
– Thanks to reader Opperput for pointing this one out. 14 wins in 15 matches, and 6 goals conceded, not to mention host to one of the most intense and under-reported derbies in Europe. Well deserving of mention.

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Category: World Football