Dortmund smash attendance record
Thursday, August 6, 2015
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A crowd of 65,190 watched Borussia Dortmund knock out Wolfsberg on Thursday, breaking the previous record for a UEFA Europa League qualifier by more than 10,000.
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Borussia Dortmund have established an attendance record for a UEFA Europa League qualifier or play-off with a crowd of 65,190 watching them beat Austria's Wolfsberg 5-0 in tonight's third qualifying round second leg.
The previous high of 52,034 had been achieved by Schalke 04 against HJK Helsinki in the 2011/12 play-offs, while the previous best for the third qualifying round was the 44,154 that saw Internazionale Milano play Hajduk Split in 2012/13. The crowd at the BVB Stadion Dortmund sits fourth on the all-time list for UEFA Europa League matches, not far off the record of 67,553 set last season by Dynamo Kyiv against Everton in the round of 16.
Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel said: "The excitement in the city is clear, over 60,000 want to see us play. A European game like this has a special atmosphere, it doesn't matter that it is only Europa League qualification. You cannot simulate this in training or a friendly. It is anything but a necessity or burden to have to play this tie.
"Where else if not at BVB would it be possible to get over 60,000 in the qualifying rounds? That is exactly the energy we want to feel and use for ourselves. We want to thrill our fans."
Highest attendances in UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League play-offs/qualifying
1: 65,190 – Borussia Dortmund 5-0 Wolfsberg, 06/08/2015, third qualifying round second leg
2: 52,034 – Schalke 04 6-1 HJK Helsinki, 25/08/2011, play-off second leg
3: 51,862 – Crvena zvezda 1-2 Stade Rennais, 18/08/2011, play-off first leg
4: 51,795 – Celtic 3-0 (forfeit, original result 0-0) Sion, 18/08/2011, play-off first leg
5: 47,800 – Borussia Dortmund 4-0 Qarabağ, 19/08/2010, play-off first leg
Second qualifying round record: 46,907 – Celtic 6-3 Wacker Innsbruck, 26/08/1997
First qualifying round record: 46,900 – Rangers 2-0 Shelbourne, 29/07/1998
Highest attendances in UEFA Europa League
1: 67,553 – Dynamo Kyiv 5-2 Everton, 19/03/2015, round of 16 second leg
2: 67,328 – Manchester United 1-2 Ajax, 23/02/2012, round of 32 second leg
3: 65,535 – Dynamo Kyiv 5-1 Fiorentina, 16/04/2015, quarter-final first leg
4: 65,190 – Borussia Dortmund 5-0 Wolfsberg, 06/08/2015, third qualifying round second leg
5: 65,110 – Beşiktaş 1-3 Club Brugge, 19/03/15, round of 16 second leg
Highest attendances in UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League
1: 110,000 – Real Madrid 0-0 Ipswich Town, 03/10/1973, first round second leg
2: 93,000 – Real Madrid 2-1 Torino, 01/04/1992, semi-final first leg
3: 92,000 – Dynamo Kyiv 1-1 Eintracht Braunschweig, 14/09/1977, first round first leg
4: 90,832 – Barcelona 0-0 Liverpool, 05/04/2001, semi-final first leg
5=: 90,000 – Barcelona 1-2 Bayern München, 16/04/1996, semi-final second leg
5=: 90,000 – Real Madrid 3-0 Internazionale Milano, 24/04/1985, semi-final second leg
5=: 90,000 – Real Madrid 6-1 Anderlecht, 12/12/1984, third round second leg
5=: 90,000 – Dinamo Tbilisi 2-0 Napoli, 13/09/1978, first round first leg
5=: 90,000 – Barcelona 2-1 Aston VIlla, 15/03/1978, quarter-final second leg