Sportplatz Rheinau

The ground sits between the water and the hillside, where the Rhine marks the line rather than a post. It is not a cathedral, but it has a quality of its own.

The pitch is still natural grass. The stands are low enough that a player can see the faces in the front row, and the corners are so close that a long throw can find a head before the defender turns. The distance to the line is short, which means a cross is never far from a goalmouth scramble.

The crowd does not come for the scenery, though the Alps are visible when the rain clears. They come for the match. The ground hosted a match that drew more people than the town holds, a friendliness against the Swiss side that ended in a narrow defeat, but the memory is kept because the numbers were impossible. The stand has seen every cup run since the first tie.

It is not a destination for tourists, and the ticket prices are not high enough to be a barrier, but there is no other place like it. The surface is firm, the air is cold when the wind comes down from the pass, and the game is played close to the river. The tenants have not won much, but they are unbeaten in five when they play here. The roof is old and the steel is painted black, but it keeps the rain off. The ground is small, but it does not feel crowded when the team needs the points badly.