FBC Melgar v Cerro Porteno, Copa Libertadores, Arequipa, Peru

For the third game of my trip to Peru, I travelled to Arequipa to attend the match between FCB Melgar and Cerro Porteno from Asuncion, Paraguay. To get to Arequipa, I took a direct flight from Cusco which took around 1 hour. This was the first leg of the third Copa Libertadores qualifying round (equivalent to the European Champions League). The match finished 1-0 to Cerro Porteno, who would ultimately qualify for the Libertadores group stages, winning 5-2 on aggregate.

Although Arequipa a major city with a population over 1 million, FCB Melgar is its only significant club so its a true one club city. The club was founded in 1915 and takes its name from the 19th century Peruvian poet Mariano Melgar.

Match Facts

Competition:	Copa Libertadores
Clubs:	FBC Melgar (0) v Cerro Porteno (1)
Stadium:	Estadio Monumental de la UNSA (Monumental Virgin de Chapi)
Capacity:	40,370
City:	Arequipa
Country:	Peru

How to buy tickets for FCB Melgar

I bought tickets the day before at the Melgar 'Rojo y negro' store on calle Consuelo and Cruz Verde. You will also find a museum here that was closed due to the upcoming match. The process was straightforward, I only had to show my passport for identification. I chose the south section behind the goal which cost 27 soles (6 GPB). You could also buy tickets for the match through the 'Joinus' ticket portal.

How to get to Estadio Monumental de la UNSA

This match was played at Estadio Monumental de la UNSA, to the east of the city centre. From the Plaza de Armas, follow Calle Octavio Munoz/Paucarpata and continue until you reach the junction with Independencia; you will then see the stadium. The walk took me around 25 minutes. To enter the stadium, I had to pass two security lines and show my passport.

Intensity Level - Low

Although it was a key match for Melgar, security-wise, this was a low-intensity match with only around 10 away fans in attendance. It felt safe in and around the stadium

Arequipa Centre - key locations

Tips for visiting the Stadium

• Don't wear a belt - the security will confiscate it! (Wear tight-fitting jeans or shorts!)

• Invest in a poncho in case it rains - they are only 3 Soles and will keep you dry. You will find vendors selling these outside the stadium

• Also, invest in a cushion which will cost around 5 Soles

• Arrive early at the stadium. The south sector where I was sitting, was packed by kick-off. The North sector was a lot quieter

• The Occidental and Oriental sectors (long side of the pitch) were covered and had better seating

Where to buy the club shirt?

The Walon store on the corner of Palacio Viejo and Alvarez Thomas was the best place to buy official club shirts. The latest Melgar shirt cost around 149 soles ( 32 GBP). They had discounts on shirts from prior seasons, which I purchased for around 78 soles (GBP). There were also Walon shirts from other Peruvian teams at considerable discounts such as CA Mannucci which I picked up for 39 soles (8 GBP). Be careful with the Walon European shirts such as Dortmund or Real Madrid which are copies! If you just want a fake Melgar shirt, plenty of vendors are around Arequipa and outside the ground.