Always the way for continental games. I can think of one continental game we’ve played where there was any buzz, and that was the knock out game against Shandong. Even that was only 9.5k people, half of whom were a rent a crowd.
Edit: actually looks like the 2007 champions league games had five figure crowds but never again since then.
Have they blocked off the hill? Or is it sold out there?
I was hoping to pick up GA at the ground and meet my brothers there, but it looks like spontaneously deciding to go to an event is discouraged these days.
The Guangzhou Evergrande game with 18k in attendance and a huge padded crowd of Chinese students in free Guangzhou shirts was memorable for buzz and energy that year.
The game against Urawa was one of the best nights at the old SFS (apart from the result of course: unusual to see Clint Bolton not deal with a cross). Uffy scored in that game as well.