We heard it before we saw it.
Racing out of the metro we hit a wall of sound. The noise pulsating out of the San Siro. If I had to try to describe it I’d say it sounded like 80,000 people screaming, shouting, whistling, chanting, and chattering in the midst of an enormous swarm of giant energetic bees.
24 hours in Italy from the get-go was a risky plan. Fresh out of surgery, with about a thousand potential ‘known unknowns’ that could go wrong. Including one 3:45am wake up, followed by 6:45am the next day.
But first class, first knockout round tickets in one of the most storied stadia in the world don’t come around that often. When Johnny’s on the spot, he’s got to take the chance right?
So I got to hang out with the Dempsey brothers in Beautiful Bergamo. Being overtired doesn’t mean you can’t be up for a little adventurement.
I got to be the Italian expert, and rare is the time when I go to Italy and I’m the best Italian speaker.
And we got great seats at this amazing stadium to watch Liverpool overpower Inter Milan. Did I mention the Dempsey brothers are big BIG Liverpool fans? I was able to vicariously celebrate the victory, whilst partaking in a little bit of schadenefreude for one of AS Roma’s main rivals.
But the kiss in this picture is in the wrong direction, all kisses are for Shane and getting tickets.
Plus another one to his brother for coming all the way from Denver, Colorado (a fact which earned him handshakes from a whole group of serious fucking Liverpool fans. I mean guys that list their football allegiances as
“First, there’s Liverpool, then Liverpool Reserves, then the youth team, and then, maybe, you can talk about England.”
Plus a kiss to my nurse, for not letting the concern about my head wound stand in the way of a wonderful 24 hour Italian football adventure.