Potted Heid

Was at Bramall Lane yesterday and Gilmour was excellent, total lynchpin of their midfield, barely missed a pass. Loads of energy for ninety mins. Right enough it was against ten men for most of the game, but his accuracy is impressive. Seems like he and McGinn and Christie are peaking in good time for Germany. Hopefully Robertson keeps his place in the Liverpool team and we avoid injuries.

Booked Lisbon. Only ever seen Gibraltar in Faro. Will be great to see a match in any of the big Porto or Lisbon stadiums. I don't mind countries that move their games around different venues, but there should be rules to avoid last minute announcements like the Spanish did last year.

No I just know it's reputation from Giros and the rivalry between Coppi and Bartali. I'm more of a camping gear on the back of the tourer kind of rider. Usually do one bike tour a year around a Scotland game. Last years was a hot one - Madrid to Seville. Pity the order of the Cologne/Stuttgart games hadn't been reversed as that would have set up a great straight run.

...but best of luck to you, man. That is some ramp.

Taking the bike, so a ride over to Ulm after the Germany game and a ride down the Rhine to Mainz from Cologne after that game. Trains will take me to Cologne and Stuttgart from Ulm and Mainz. Hoping for a good long bike ride to Berlin (never been) for the last 16 game (or better still, the final). Would need to jump a train to complete that though. Toom much camping gear for The Stelvio!

A pal of mine was at the Bayern Munich v Borussia Munchmyhandbag game at the weekend and he was slurping Paulaners throughout the game from vendors who came round the seats. That is a lot nicer ale than Bitburger imo, but anything alcoholic will be welcome...

The Anchor, Granton?

Campingplatz Nord-West for three nights then up to Nurenburg on the bike for a couple of days before the train to Cologne.

Thanks, man (and GaryWood). Found it in my Spam after fifteen stressful minutes and a panicked phone call to my bank. Always forget about Junk folders! Feel a huge weight off my shoulders now. Got a 195/60/30 bunch of tix so happy with that. Feel sorry for the 11 pointers just now, a lot of whom will be pretty torn given the massive jump in prices for the opening game. I've never been to an opening ceremony - I imagine we will be 'treated' to dancing lads in leiderhosen and frauliens with massive jugs...of frothing ale?

Thanks folks. It was in my Spam folder. Last bit of stress! Some folk must have very fast fingers btw as those Fans First tix went pretty rapid.

Anyone else with a delay getting the confirmation email? I've successfully bought the tickets, but no email yet?

We should lay off the SFA. Their emails at least have some details right. Like the name of our country and the fact that its a football tournament in Germany some time next year...

I remember the 85 game vividly from the away end. Probably haven't seen an individual performance as good against Celtic since. Never knew he ran the Crit, great early morning pint in there with the scaffolders and posties. I still get annoyed buying snacks for the train in that Sainsbury's, and usually have an insane urge to shout 'that used to be the bar of the Crit, min!' at the poor till jockey...

I don't think I got that, was it only for people who had chosen pick up? Cause I changed very recently to that option.

I got a reply from them just now saying the tickets are getting posted out this afternoon. That is cutting it too fine for me so I have requested that I pick mine up in Seville as I'm flying out on Friday, which they've agreed. There was no option of picking it up from Hampden.

No and I leave on Friday. I've emailed them asking if I can pick mine up from Hampden tomorrow.

Easyjet Edinburgh to Madrid Cycle from Madrid to Seville Train from Seville to Madrid Easyjet Madrid to Edinburgh

Agree about Santa Cruz. It is a lovely area to wander and has loads of traditional tapas bars. A less touristy but no less lively drinking zone is around the Alameda de Hercules, which is a big long square in the Feria area located around halfway between Santa Cruz and La Cartuja (the stadium area). Cheapest beer in the city when I was there ten years ago. I've never explored Triana but heard good things.

I hear the Spanish FA are going to announce the venue...manyana! Seriously, this delay is ridiculous. I had a look on RENFE's site and the train time between Madrid and Seville isn't that much more than from Malaga, despite being much further. Two hours, forty mins compared to two hours. That's because you can get the fast AVE trains from Madrid, whereas the Malaga train is slower.

Do you know what Steve Clark said to the Spain manager at the end of the game last week? Muchos grassias!

And I say that after having just dropped an E!

Clark is a stadium-filler.

Couldn't agree more (about Neymar). His greetin and cheatin spoiled an otherwise great day out at the Emirates. I think I was more shocked by this than when they got humped by Germany 7-1 in 2014, having been accustomed to Brazilians being different class at football. He can redeem himself by scoring a hat-trick against Them in the final, of course. Still hoping for a Brazil v France final, with the South Americans inspired to victory by Pele getting better.

Was there in October with my son. Saw Guernica at the Reina Sofia (great bar near there called El Brillante for cheap beer and massive calamari bocadillos), watched Atletico draw with Real Sociedad (the Wanda Metropolitana is a great new stadium, but atmosphere wasn't awesome), visited El Rastro on the Sunday which is the biggest flea market in Europe I think. Loads of divey wee tapas bars around that area and up the hill in Lavapies. We stayed in Huertas which is full of bars and restaurants, but some quite touristy. Around Plaza del dos de Mayo in Malasana (Bar el 2D for beer on the square; Taberna Madrid Madriz for great Menu del dias) is a good area for eating/drinking with locals and live music. La Fontana del Oro is a lively, big place in the Centre where we watched a basketball game that my lad wanted to see. It has loads of screens so will probably show the football. Might be better than the plastic Irish bars of which there are loads.

Yes, it was a great game which we won. Cracking Scot Brown goal if I remember correctly. Some stadium with the roof on. I remember we played them in a competitive game later that year which we didn't win.