in St. Petersburg, we found ourselves in a pro-Croatian bar



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For this England-Croatia, I decided to do the minimum. I did not make any effort to hunt down English or Croatian fans in St. Petersburg and, rather than go watch the match in the "fanzone" standing in the cold, I preferred to drag myself into a kind of cafeteria Flunch, where outside welcomes me this inviting publicity that would adore Marlène Schiappa:

"If you want to please and relieve your wife, come and eat at our place!"

I stand in line, as in the canteen with, on my plastic tray, a plate of meatballs and boulghour. A disappointed "ooohh" echoes in the room. It's clever, I missed the goal. These damned English have already scored in the third minute. No time to say phew, eat my meatballs and sit quietly, it's not true! What good merit the role we gave them yesterday with Marina: Smerdiakov, illegitimate son and bastard, of the Karamazov Family, while the Croats represented Mitia, the unstable Mitia, symbol of the Slavic soul.

sympathy for the Croats, these Slavic cousins, is confirmed in my Petersburg Flunch. Whenever black fellows try an action, it screams, it stammers, it screams.

The scandal of the video "pro-Ukraine"

I am disconcerted. Yesterday, a certain Ivan assured me that he had decided to give up the Croats for the English. Object of his resentment: the video of defender Domagoj Vida shouting "Glory to Ukraine" (the player plays Dynamo Kiev) in support of the separatists. Domagoj Vida was cautioned, but was not deprived of a match. Fifa punished Ognjen Vuckojevic, the coach who posted the video, laying him off. The Croatian federation apologized for this misstep but the damage was done. Ivan explained to me that he was very annoyed

"It's not the spirit of the sport, it's not correct, why is this Croatian player anti-Russians like that?" grandfather, he was Ukrainian and Russian, I will be for England. "

I confess, yesterday, all to the joy of the French victory, I had not had the presence of mind to me to launch in a debate on Donbass, Ukraine, Maidan, especially since I had not re-read all the articles of my excellent colleague Céline Lussato on the subject.

Today, in my bar pro-croats I regret not having explored the question more deeply. Because clearly, my neighbors bearded, muscular and tattooed, do not give a fuck of the video, given their enthusiasm for black men. While in the stadium, Domegoj Vida is heavily booed by Russian fans who have not forgiven him the famous video.

As for me, I am very comfortable with this English goal. France-England, it will be much easier to find an angle for the final. Napoleon, the Hundred Years War, Joan of Arc …. A France-England is like a France-Germany: inevitably mythical

I know that all lovers of beautiful game do not find the game of the English very beautiful preferring them the Croatian ardor. I know that Luka Modric has all turned their heads. Never mind. Nullos one day, nullos always: it's my motto. Little control of the technical beauties of the ball, it remains for me to rely on purely subjective arguments. And no, it's not because I'm a girl: my sister Caroline Michel-Aguirre must be the most stalled football question of the whole newspaper.

Beyond the basely material aspect – find an angle for a France-Croatia, friends, it's going to be hot potato -, the Three Lions have two reasons to seduce me.

Gareth Southgate after defeat of England against Croatia (FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

The first is called Gareth Southgate, their coach. Gareth Southgate clinches by far the most prestigious coach of this World Cup. Ah, this fitted vest! (Mark and Spencer saw the sales of this vest increase by 35%) Ah this tie! Ah, that well-trimmed beard! Ah this class of engliche! Sorry Didier. Sorry also Mr. Mustache (Chechnya, the Russian coach). Sorry all the others I forgot the name

The second is obviously the tube "It's coming home":

The song is too cool, really, with its Oasis-iens accents. Beside, sorry the Blues, but we do not make the weight.

It's not coming home

And shit … it screams with joy in the Flunch. Aim for Croatia. The engliches, you can not make you move? It's coming home, you said … "Davaï Davaï", yell my neighbors as soon as the Croats approach the goals. They look like Croats. The "Davai", however, confirm that my neighbors are Russian.

A small group in front of me seems more like Central Asia, with their slanted eyes: they are just as enthusiastic as my tattooed beards. In the stadium, defender Domegoj Vida is booed by Russian spectators. Because of the video. In my Flunch, nothing at all. Will I be in a separatist pro-Ukraine stronghold without knowing it?

Goal Goal, yells the Flunch. My delirious neighbors are getting up. Begin to sing. They may be Croats disguised as Russian. I try to call one of the tattooed bearded men. His name is Toni and he is a Zenith fan from St. Petersburg

"We are in Croatia because the English, huh, they always cause us problems." During the Euro in France, there is At two years old, they screwed up the brothel, attacked simple Russian fans, and it was bad for our image, we Russians did nothing wrong. "

Hum. Given Toni's blood alcohol level, I do not dare to remind him that there were hooligans on either side, or even more on the Russian side, that some of them did from prison and were expelled French territory. The anti-Ukraine video?

"Oh, the media say a lot, but you have to beware of the journalists Ah, you're a journalist, where do you get it from France?"

All of a sudden, Toni is embarrassed

"Do not take it badly, especially, but it's still weird, because you have a face … Asian, what, you can not imagine it's France, but hey, it's is the modern world. "

I am burning to evoke the manifesto signed by some ultra, Zenith fans from St. Petersburg, who had asked the club not to hire the black player. Is it reasonable to get into angry subjects? Toni looks nice but a bit drunk anyway. Saved by the gong. It's the end of the match. Toni apologizes and will join his friends to shout "Croatia, Croatia Davaï". All tattooed bearded people kiss and sing

Toni returns with two more of his bearded and tattooed friends

"A beer?", His friend offers me. I decline. He flips it on him. "You sure you want to drink" Croatia Davaï! "

Uh no actually

The Flunch will close. I run in English, my pro-Croat tattooed bearers seeming very (too) enterprising and I have an article to finish.

I am sad for the English. It's not going home …

France-Croatia … How I'm going to find an angle, me

Doan Bui

 Doan Bui

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