23.08 Moscow Football Fans Protest New Stadium Design

MOSCOW, August 23 (R-Sport) - Dynamo Moscow fans have lodged a protest with the Russian side about the design of their new VTB Arena home, which affords more seating to away fans than in the Western stands traditionally occupied by home supporters.

A 26,000-capacity stadium is part of a huge multipurpose sports complex known as the VTB Arena Park currently under construction in northwest Moscow in a project set to cost in excess of $800 million. It is slated to open in October 2017.

Dynamo bosses gave a presentation to representatives from two dozen of the club's various fan groups on Friday, when they announced away section would be nearly twice as big as the Western sector. It effectively means home fans will have to spread around the ground rather than congregate in their traditional corner.

"This doesn't score a goal with anyone," a supporter who identified himself only as Andrei told the club. "The project is changing, and you haven't met with the fans once. First of all, the Western tribune is a place that has housed Dynamo fans through the ages, and now you want to put us who knows where," he added.

That section of the ground under the Western stand is to be maintained from Dynamo's original constructivist stadium that dated back to 1928 before the rest of the arena was torn up.