Football stadium with 24k capacity wrecked by storm as club respond | Football | Sport

A Portuguese football stadium has been left ravaged by two weeks of relentless storms. Storm Kristin tore through central and northern Portugal in late January, causing flooding, landslides and widespread damage.

Since then, Storm Leonardo and currently Storm Marta have consecutively hit the Iberian Peninsula before it had the chance to recover. The deadly storms have severely impacted transport, while also causing damage to large-roofed buildings such as churches, factories and schools. The Portuguese district of Leiria has been among the worst-hit, with widespread power outages being reported. Storm Kristin, the first of the devastating trio, brought winds of up to 178km, which counted a Portuguese second division side’s stadium among its victims.

Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa is home to LigaPro side Uniao de Leiria, boasting a capacity of 23,888. UD Leiria’s official club account took to Instagram after the first storm to show the vast wreckage, posting heartbreaking before and after pictures which captured the pitch and athletics track covered in rubble. The main building’s roof had collapsed too, while nearby trees had also fallen.

The team, who are ninth in the table, had their home clash with Pacos Ferreira on February 1 postponed until further notice due to the damage. The ground, which hosted fixtures for Euro 2004, is still unusable for the game against Porto B this Sunday.

With all football activities in the district suspended until further notice, it’s still unclear where the fixture will be played, with UD Leiria being allowed to train at Cidade do Futebol for the time being by the Portuguese FA.

That is despite the valiant efforts of the local community. Hundreds flocked to Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa on Saturday, January 31, to aid in the clean-up.

The official club account had urged supporters: “It’s time to rebuild Leiria! We need everyone’s help! Join us in a city cleanup effort. If possible, bring equipment such as gloves, shovels and brooms. Invite friends and family and come help us! Together we are stronger!”

Another post showing the full extent of the storm’s destruction read: “The Leiria region is experiencing a catastrophe. The scene is one of widespread destruction, with profound impacts on the lives of the population. Beyond the visible damage, several areas of the region lack communication networks, electricity and water supply. Access to essential goods and fuel is severely restricted, significantly exacerbating the daily difficulties.

“In this context, it is crucial that the entire country focuses on the Leiria region. We appeal for support and mobilisation from all unaffected entities, institutions and regions, as the scale of this calamity exceeds local response capacity.

“We appreciate the numerous messages of support and solidarity that demonstrate that the Leiria region and our club are not alone in this difficult time. We also extend our strength and solidarity to all sports institutions in the region facing this tragedy.

“We also call upon the population to be attentive to their neighbours, family members and close acquaintances, reinforcing mutual aid, solidarity and care for the most vulnerable, especially those who may be isolated or without access to essential goods. Together, with UNITY, we will overcome this calamity.”