On Thursday, 12 December, Man Utd will travel to the Czech Republic to take on Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League.
As things stand, both teams have the same number of points in the new look league table and are on track to qualify for the playoff round. However, a win for either side on Thursday night would likely see them move into the top eight with two games to play.
For the travelling Man Utd fans, this will be the first time they have seen their team play at the Doosan Arena and they are in for a treat. For all key information relating to the Viktoria Plzen away section and what to expect from Plzen, our guide below has you covered.
Matchday
There are multiple ways to get to the Doosan Arena but if you find yourself in the centre of Plzen before kick-off then simply walking to the stadium should be your number one choice as it is only ten minutes from the city centre.
If you are coming from further afield or walking isn't an option then either take bus number 28 to ‘Na Rychtarce' or the local tram on lines one and two to ‘Anglicke nabrezi'. If you are coming from a different city, then get a train to the main train station in Plzen and then take the ten-minute walk to the stadium.
Who are Viktoria Plzen?
Although Viktoria Plzen were founded more than 100 years ago, they have only become a major force in Czech football over the past 10-15 years. They won the league title for the first time in 2011 and have gone on to win it five further times since.
They now regularly compete with Sparta Prague and Slavia Prague for domestic honours but are now looking to make their name in Europe.
They have reached the Round of 16 in the Europa League on three previous occasions but the furthest they've ever progressed in Europe was last season when they reached the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League
Where is the Viktoria Plzen away section?
The Viktoria Plzen away section is located in the southeast corner of the stadium with away supporters taking up sections U12 and U13. The away section is located right next to the blocks taken up by the Viktoria Plzen ultras so a heavy segregation is usually in place, particularly for European fixtures.
What is the Viktoria Plzen away section like?
The Doosan Arena is a tightly-packed stadium and the away section is no different. While there are seats in the away end, fans do typically choose to stand, something Man Utd fans will almost certainly do on Thursday night.
The view of the action from the Viktoria Plzen away section is generally pretty good, particularly for those who are wrapped around the corner towards the goal. Those who are closer to the corner flag have a slightly worse view, but all areas of the stand are close to the pitch with both blocks steep in nature.
The atmosphere will be excellent inside the away end, even if the visiting supporters are silent. This is due to its close proximity to the Plzen ultras. This also means fans in the away section will get a front-seat view to any pre-match displays and tifos.
#mufc‘s three remaining #UEL fixtures:
Viktoria Plzeň (A)
Rangers (H)
FCSB (A) pic.twitter.com/sVVoQ7iFzd— UtdDistrict (@UtdDistrict) December 10, 2024
Best pubs in Plzen
One of the best things about your team playing Viktoria Plzen is the fact that the stadium is a mere ten-minute walk from the centre of Plzen, meaning you can stay in the local pubs right up until the last minute. Three of the best in Plzen are:
- Parkan – 4, Veleslavinova 59, 301 00 Plzen, Czechia
- Zach's Pub – Palackeho nam. 31/2, 301 16 Plzen 3-Jizni Predmesti, Czechia
- KEGzistence – Rooseveltova 76/4, 301 00 Plzen 3-Vnitrni Mesto, Czechia
Man Utd allocation for Viktoria Plzen away
The Doosan Arena is far from one of the biggest stadiums in Europe with a capacity of just 11,700 so Man Utd were never going to get many tickets. In the end, they received slightly more than the minimum UEFA requirement of 5% of the capacity, with Vitkoria giving them 643 tickets.
Those lucky enough to have got Viktoria Plzen vs Man Utd tickets in the away end have been charged £33.50 per ticket.