World Cup diary, day three: Poor planning damages atmosphere before sensational Sochi showdown

In a country of Russia’s vastness, with much of the sporting heritage centred around its capital, it has been easy to escape the usual excitement surrounding the World Cup.

Even in Adler, home to the stunning Fisht Olympic Stadium and Olympic Village, sport is very much at the back of people’s minds as they enjoy the incredible climate on the beach.

They call it Sochi, but it really isn’t. Adler is a city within a city. Sochi lies 20 miles up the coast, making it very confusing for many fans arriving in the city for the World Cup.

Such distance between the places has diluted the atmosphere a great deal. Many host cities at this and previous tournaments have a focal point, a thoroughfare where fans can centre around, with the bars and cafes around teeming with fans soaking up the ambience.

In Adler, fans do not know if they are coming or going. The Fan Zone is in central Sochi, nowhere near the stadium, with many fans staying in Adler – where they have to stay if they are going to the game because of the late finish – too far away to get involved.

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Having spent the morning on the beach near my hotel, it was very easy to forget potentially the game of the group stages was a matter of hours away.

Russians frolicked away in the sea, throwing themselves down some rather imposing-looking inflatable slides without a care int the world – health and safety anyone?

Even when we did make our way down to the stadium to do some filming with the Spain fans, they seemed to be wandering around aimlessly, searching for a hotspot in vain.

The consensus over whether Julen Lopetegui should have been sacked was just as mixed as I had hoped. “I want his head on a stick,” one fan told me, with real venom in his eyes. I soon made my excuses and moved on.

Our Spanish interviews were briefly broken up by our first encounter with some Panama fans. Enthusiasm was oozing out of them as they were taking pictures with everyone and everything around.

They were a super-friendly bunch. With a lovely mix of Caribbean and Hispanic English accents, they delighted in knowing nothing about football, instead just happy to be taking part in an event they never, ever, thought would be involved in.

In between the Ice Hockey Arena and the football stadium, which will be dormant after the tournament as Sochi doesn’t have a club team, are vast, empty car parks, space that would be perfect for the Fan Zone, but as the authorities are marketing the venue as Sochi, not Adler, fans wanting a better fan experience were an hour’s train ride away.

So, to the match. The sub-plots – the Spain coach’s dismissal on the eve of the tournament and four Portugal players walking out of their club contracts in the dispute over being attacked by their own Sporting CP fans – added to the intrigue.

And my word did the football not disappoint. Every journalist in the press box, bar the ones filing on the full-time whistle, gave up writing, as the momentum shifted from Spain to Portugal and back again.

One Portuguese radio commentator couldn’t contain his excitement after Cristiano Ronaldo curled home the late equaliser. How can speaking that fast even be audible?

Managed to have a chat with Bernardo Silva after the match, whose English is quite frankly amazing. He could not hide his admiration for Ronaldo, who dominated every conversation as we left. How does he doe it?

An incredible start to my football following out here. Problem is, it can’t get better than this, can it?