Omladinski Stadium

The programme from 2004 proves the ground hosted a match between OFK Beograd and Atletico Madrid, a fixture that brought a different sort of noise to the district. The match ended 2-2, and the programme itself bears a signature, suggesting the players held their nerve through the full ninety minutes. That was a long time ago. The stadium today looks different. The red brick building that stands behind one of the stands is old and unpretentious, and it is the only building in sight that does not look temporary.

The capacity is listed at 19,100, but the reality of the place is a matter of observation rather than a number. The terraces are empty in the photograph, and the grass on the auxiliary field is a different shade of green, laid down more recently. The main pitch is natural grass, worn at the corners where the players switched off at a set piece. The ground does not hide its history. It is a place where the view from the highest seat looks out over a river that does not care about the score. It is not a temple, but it is a venue.