Berlin’s vibrant Turkish group is gearing as much as paint the city pink as they eagerly await their workforce’s arrival within the German capital for the Euro 2024 match in opposition to the Netherlands on Saturday.
“The atmosphere will be like a home game for us,” stated Muhammet Ali Sevilmiş, 36, who runs a cellphone restore store in Berlin’s Kreuzberg district.
“There will be mainly Turks in the stadium,” predicted Sevilmiş, who himself spent 500 euros ($540) on a ticket after Türkiye’s victory in opposition to Austria to achieve the quarterfinals.
“For us Turks, it doesn’t matter whether it’s 100 euros more or less. The main thing is that we’re in the stadium celebrating on the day,” he instructed Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Sevilmiş might be joined at Berlin’s Olympiastadion by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The Turkish chief has introduced his attendance amid a spiraling diplomatic row over an alleged ultranationalist hand signal made by Turkish defender Merih Demiral throughout his workforce’s win over Austria.
German officers have condemned the hand gesture, and UEFA has launched an investigation into “inappropriate behavior,” prompting Ankara to accuse the allegations of being xenophobia.
Ambassadors of each international locations have been summoned in tit-for-tat strikes because the episode as soon as once more laid naked the political tensions that usually engulf Germany’s Turkish group.
With feelings anticipated to run excessive on the match, Berlin police have stated they may deploy extra officers, classifying Saturday’s quarterfinal as a “high-risk game.”
‘We are the hosts’
But followers shrugged off the issues, saying they’re simply trying ahead to a pleasant social gathering.
Berlin is dwelling to the most important Turkish group exterior Türkiye, a lot of whom are descendants of “guest workers” invited below an enormous financial program within the Nineteen Sixties and ’70s.
Around 200,000 folks with Turkish roots at the moment reside within the metropolis, constituting round 6% of the full inhabitants.
The Kreuzberg district specifically has change into a hub for Turkish tradition and eating places serving the well-known döner kebab.
Kavurma-Kofte, a small Turkish eatery with a terrace on one of many major streets operating by way of the neighborhood, will present the match on an enormous display on Saturday.
“It is special because many Turks live in Berlin, and we will be the hosts,” stated proprietor Kemal Salis, 64.
The restaurant is absolutely booked for Saturday, Salis stated.
“We have not seen the Turkish team in such good form for a long time. It’s an atmosphere we have missed,” he stated.
At Imren, one other close by Turkish restaurant, the joy was palpable.
Street social gathering
Ibrahim Filikçi, 29, was nonetheless hoarse from celebrating the workforce’s win in opposition to Austria on Kurfürstendamm, certainly one of Berlin’s major purchasing avenues the place hundreds of Turks gathered on Tuesday night time.
Arrests have been reported at a earlier gathering on the road, however Filikçi stated the temper was peaceable.
“The street was completely blocked off. Police were there, but everything was fine. No problems, no fights, everything was great,” he stated.
Tahsin Yılmaz, 53, stated he’ll help each groups on Saturday, carrying half pink and half orange, as his father labored within the Netherlands.
“I like the Netherlands, and I want to party with them, drink with them, etc. The Dutch are very nice and friendly; you can have a nice time with them, dance, and have fun,” he stated.
Dutch followers have introduced a full of life environment to the event thus far, filling German cities with their brilliant orange shirts.
But Sevilmiş believes they are going to be no match for the Turks in Berlin.
“We know the Oranje. It won’t be a competition; you’ll understand what I mean on the day,” he stated.
Turks dwelling in Germany have typically confronted criticism for his or her continued loyalty to the Turkish workforce, regardless of Germany having a number of gamers with Turkish roots, together with captain Ilkay Gündoğan.
Sevilmiş, who was born in Berlin, identified that if all goes effectively for Türkiye, they might finally face Germany within the remaining.
Would he nonetheless help Türkiye then?
Source: www.dailysabah.com