Seven of the most fearsome atmospheres in world football

While footballers provide the skill and the craft, it is the supporters in the stands who bring the noise.

We take a look at the arenas that provide some of the most formidable atmospheres in world football.

Anfield, Liverpool

European nights at Anfield have become trademark occasions over the years.

That familiar swell of emotion on Merseyside extends to league games too and has never been more ferocious than during Jurgen Klopp's iconic time as manager.

The pre-match rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone sets the tone and the team often do the rest.

San Siro, AC Milan and Inter Milan

Home to two of the most successful teams in Italy and Europe, the San Siro is a formidable place to try and win.

And its cultural significance was recently emphasised after plans to knock down the 80,000-seater were shelved — despite its old-fashioned feel.

Legendary AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini once said: "San Siro is a historic stadium. It's nice but doesn't offer comfort."

La Bombonera, Boca Juniors

Named La Bombonera (The Chocolate Box), the distinctive shape of Boca Juniors' home stadium makes it one of the most intimidating in world football.

The stand behind one of the goals is virtually vertical, giving the impression that the fans are standing over the pitch, while the ground is known to shake when the atmosphere is at its best.

Ex-Argentina striker Hernan Crespo has even questioned its safety, claiming the authorities are "waiting for the stand to fall and there are deaths so we can ask for a safety committee."

Camp Nou, Barcelona

Already the biggest stadium in Europe, the Camp Nou is set to hold 105,000 seats once the ongoing renovation is complete.

With fans watching the action from way above the pitch, opposition stars are as likely to suffer neck ache from looking up to the top of the stands as from watching Barcelona pass the ball around them.

Not so much an intimidating venue, Barca's home venue is certainly a theatre of football.

RAMS Park, Galatasaray

Manchester United were greeted by a Welcome to Hell tifo when they stepped out to play Galatasaray in the Champions League in December.

It is an appropriate greeting for visitors to RAMS Park, whose stands often appear to be on fire such is the volume of red and yellow flares.

The venue even staged the loudest crowd at a sport stadium between 2011 and 2013, as acknowledged by Guinness World Records.

Celtic Park and Ibrox, Celtic and Rangers

Impossible to split, these two stadiums still make a remarkable racket whenever the teams face each other.

Pep Guardiola acknowledged Celtic's ground as a "special stadium" when Manchester City travelled there in 2016, while Gary Neville has referred to Rangers' home as "the loudest atmosphere I have ever known."

The incredible Old Firm noise is currently emphasised by the fact that no away fans are allowed at the matches, resulting in a pin-drop silence when the visiting team score.