Gerenia-Senya football rivalry
| Klasiker bɏer Apolœnëa | |
  Federation logos of both nations | |
| Teams |
Gerenia Senya |
|---|---|
| First meeting |
Senya 1–1 Gerenia (7 September 2012) |
| Latest meeting |
Senya 2–0 Gerenia (3 August 2018) |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 10 |
| All-time series |
Gerenia wins: 1 Draws: 6 Senya wins: 3 |
| Largest victory |
Senya 0–4 Gerenia (30 September 2015) |
The Gerenia-Senya rivalry was a highly competitive sports rivalry that existed between the national football teams of the two countries, as well as their respective sets of fans. Games between the two teams, even those that are only friendly matches, were often fierce.
Friendlies between the two teams were colloquially known as the Apollonia Classico, and between 2014 and 2018 were organised on at least an annual basis. The two teams often met in competition, particularly in the Copa Apollonia, and were commonly regarded as the best teams in Apollonia and the AEFA confederation throughout the time of their rivalry.
Both sets of supporters saw each other as their respective national team's biggest rivals, until Gerenia's dissolution in 2018, which saw the end of the rivalry. Between 2013 and 2018, the two sides were by far and away the two strongest teams in the AEFA confederation and both made challenges for the FMF World Cup, though Gerenia never won the competition, whilst Senya would achieve their first World Cup title in 2019, after the dissolution of Gerenia.
Origins
After the two nations claimed on Micras in mid-2012, both countries began to organise their own national football teams. The two first met in Senya's Senyan School International Tournament in September 2012, where the two sides played out a 1–1 draw. After both teams performed well in the 2013 Copa Apollonia, the nations became the powerhouses of Apollonian football, particularly with the decline of the Gralus teams and North Antarctica's move to the CTFA confederation.
Rivalry
Since 2014, the two nations have been main rivals, as they generally are perceived to be much stronger than the other nations in the AEFA. The rivalry exploaded at the 2014 Copa Apollonia, when hosts Gerenia knocked out Senya on penalties in the semi-final in a tightly fought encounter. In 2015, a friendly in Senya decended into violence after Senyan fans started rioting in the stands due to Gerenia winning 4–0. Senya exacted revenge in the 2016 Copa Apollonia, eliminating Gerenia 3–1 in the semi-finals. Senyan fans widely celebrated Gerenia's underperformance and subsequent play-off round elimination during the 2017 FMF World Cup, which was hosted in Senya, especially as Senya got to the final. During the competition, Gerenia suffered their record defeat against Birgeshir, whom they lost to 4–0 at the Snakepit, which Senyan fans reportedly saying that it "lifted the daemons" on their defeat two years earlier in the same stadium. During the 2018 Copa Apollonia, the two teams were drawn with each other in the group and met in the final group matchday, where Senya defeated Gerenia 2–0 to eliminate them from the competition and to send themselves through to the semi-finals.
Supporters
The Naldas supporter's group regards Gerenia as the enemy, especially after Senya's defeat to Gerenia in the semi-finals of the 2014 Copa Apollonia. However, Senyan fans generally have a respect for their Gerenian counterparts. Senyan supporters often chant "Alva ƨînenen on t old bler e blank" (Always shit on the old blue and white) and "Fuck off Gerenia" when playing Gerenia, whilst in the popular chant "When I see the Senyan's", which is chanted even at games not involving Gerenia, the line "Fæes ota Geren" (Fuck off Gerenia) is chanted following the chorus. During the 2016 Copa Apollonia fixture between the two, Senyan fans unfurled a tifo depicting a Senyan man holding a knife and the caption "[The] Gerenian slaughterhouse".
The Marauders (Gerenian ultras) also include aggresive lines in their chants, and after the 2015 4–0 win for Gerenia, they made a banner that reads "Er 4–0 'ster eosed ŷ[éer] nohag" (The 4–0 will never be forgotten), and that is displayed in every match involving Gerenia.
The rivalry, especially between the two rival ultras groups, is considered the most fierce amongst intermicronational sides on Micras, with both the Naldas and the Marauders being two very passionate groups. Though their is in reality little violence between the two groups, both groups are known for their banners, tifo, extensive choreogrophies, loud chanting and use of pyrotechnics, which leads to very intense and intimidating atmospheres when the two play each other.
One of the most notable incidents came after the two's 2018 Copa Apollonia meeting, where hooligans from both countries rioted during the Battle of Glasbridž.
Results
The two teams played each other ten times, with Senya recording three wins, Gerenia one win, with six draws, of which one was won by Senya in a penalty shoot-out.
16 July 2014
|
Gerenia 
|
1 – 1 (a.e.t.) |
 Senya
|
|---|---|---|
Toscano  34'
|
Van Kotrisbond 90'
| |
| Penalties | ||
Mársico  Lagauzere Toscano Korau
|
4 – 2 | Danetskë Vosin Maytek Hands
|
v 
Gerenia
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
