Vincent Kompany was standing on the sidelines, he looked over at Manuel Neuer and clapped his hands so hard that his huge pants began to vibrate. Kompany was wearing ski pants that were cut so wide that two Kompanys could probably have fit in them. In fact, it was so frosty in Hamburg’s Volksparkstadion on Saturday evening that it was recommended that every stadium visitor wear a warm, ventilated thermal tent underneath. The type of construction that the Circus Krone uses to keep the dromedaries happy in winter. It may be that Kompany’s clapping at this moment was also intended to warm himself up. In any case, it was not a clap of enthusiasm, but one of encouragement. Everything about him said: Don’t give up, people! There’s something else going on here! Away, at the Hamburg sports club!
