European Championship

Austria vs. Turkey: “We are watching separately”

Feride Metin and Jochen Schreier - a couple whose soccer hearts do not beat for each other today, despite their great love.(Bild: Markus Tschepp)

A couple from Oberalm are eagerly awaiting the match on Tuesday. She: a passionate Turkey fan. He: absolutely for red-white-red. In a state of emergency, everything is different for a match like this.

The time has come at 9 p.m.: Austria versus Turkey, round of 16, European Football Championship. The whole country is eagerly awaiting the game. The fan zones are expecting an unprecedented rush. Those who are not at public viewings can enjoy the duel at a watch party.

"She doesn't want to watch with me"
 Jochen Schreier and his girlfriend Feride Metin are also eagerly awaiting the game. But this time everything is different for the couple. Jochen, an Austrian with Dutch roots, is clearly rooting for the red-white-red team. Feride, who is Turkish, wants nothing more than for the Moon and Star team to win. Normally, the couple watch soccer together. Not on this day, despite their five-year relationship.

"She doesn't want to watch with me, otherwise it'll be critical," says Jochen and laughs. Feride is a passionate Turkey supporter. "She takes 10,000 steps in front of the TV during a Turkey game," says Schreier.

Feride therefore watches with her family, Jochen with friends. As well as their soccer nerves, their relationship nerves are also on edge. Feride says with a twinkle in her eye: "This is an absolute state of emergency. I'm definitely for the Turks. I'd better watch with my family."

Ultimately, two homelands are playing against each other
The Austrian-born Turk doesn't have much time to digest a possible defeat. She flies off on vacation on Wednesday. Schreier jokes: "You might be on the same plane as the Turkish team." "I'm watching the Turkish quarter-final in Istanbul," Feride replies with a laugh. So the tension before the match is palpable in their relationship. But both of them ultimately agree on one thing: "No matter who wins - both teams are playing a great European Championship." And Feride concludes: "Actually, I can only win, after all, my two home countries are playing against each other."