Turkish football fans can be LOUD, so what better way to train for the experience of playing in the country than by simulating the noise of fans cheering in training?
That’s exactly how Schalke have been readying themselves ahead of Wednesday’s away clash against Galatasaray in the Champions League.
“We prepared for it,” coach Domenico Tedesco said at his prematch news conference. “The atmosphere in this stadium is something special because of the acoustic and the loudness. We tried to simulate that in our stadium.
“We didn’t get thousands of people into the stadium. No, we didn’t do that. We watched Gala home games, and we cut sequences from them and via the loudspeakers placed them in the stadium.”
At the Galatasaray vs. Fenerbahce match back in 2011, a noise level of 131.76 decibels was measured at the Turk Telekom. That’s as loud as a chainsaw.
“We all thought the stadium roof would take off,” attacker Guido Burgstaller said. “It was a bit awkward as time went by, but we now have a first impression of what’s happening here.”
Hallo Istanbul 👋🇹🇷
Merhaba Istanbul! 👋🇹🇷#GSS04 #s04 pic.twitter.com/gtZ7ACO65m— FC Schalke 04 (@s04_en) October 23, 2018
The guys with the headphones have the right idea … Challenge accepted, Galatasaray fans.