Football, or soccer, as the American half of our audience would have it — I am, for my sins, English, and therefore struggle to acclimatise the Stateside lexicon every now and then –, is a tribal and atmospheric game. Unlike few other sports in the world, the feeling and ferver of the crowd can have a very real impact on the game. The home advantage, as it is know, exists.
That is not to say that every team will benefit from it. There are cases in every league that suggest the opposite, clubs performing better away from home than at home.