What a night it was! I still have goosebumps and my heart is racing. Being in a Champions League semi-final is that dream we keep dreaming and, above all, keep believing in with all our soul.

The trip from León was an absolute luxury. Traveling on the coach with the folks from the Nunca dejes de creer and Furia Leonesa fan clubs is a whole different story; you forget about the exhaustion of driving and, most importantly, the nightmare of finding a parking spot. They drop you right there, you gather with your people, and you just enjoy. Plus, we had a special expedition: Hooliana didn’t want to miss the date. I headed straight to the singing stand (grada de animación), but my dear Shiyau, her adoptive mother, took charge of the “secret operation” to get her into the stadium and pamper her so she’d “take the bait”… and boy, did she! Just in time to see Julián’s goal.

What began as an expedition fueled by faith from the Peña Atlética de Alemania ended up being a true ordeal that we wouldn’t wish upon our worst enemy. We landed in Faro on Friday the 17th with suitcases full of scarves and our voices ready, but little did we know that Saturday in Seville held a survival obstacle course designed by the enemy. We parked near La Cartuja, and right there, the football ended to make way for third-world conditions.

Another trip to London was on the agenda, so I headed to Heathrow on Tuesday full of confidence. A journey with Deutsche Bahn always holds surprises—and this time was no different: I just barely caught my early-booked train, which eventually arrived in Frankfurt with a one-hour delay. There was just enough time for the security checks and a quick “cold one” before jumping on the plane.

Arriving in London on time with the best possible weather, I checked into the hotel quickly and set off to pick up the tickets. I already ran into the first familiar Atleti there (well, you get recognized these days as a frequent traveler of the German fan club 😊). With ticket and wristband in hand, I took the Tube two stops to the world’s first Hard Rock Café (est. 1971) in Green Park Lane. After a good meal and a few pints, I walked back to the hotel.

Yesterday it was time for a rojiblanco adventure: Bruges awaited us for the legendary Club Brugge–Atlético match. Yes, that stadium with bad luck where we’ve never won. From Peña Atlética Germany, we set off by car, loaded with coffee, excitement, and a GPS or two that decided to play its own game.

The official pre-game promised little… but as always, we Rojiblancos improvised. In the visitor parking lot, a spontaneous pre-game formed with the fan buses arriving: chants, photos, greetings, and the classic attempt to coordinate a choreo that ended up being improvised. That’s when the true rojiblanco spirit was felt.

A lightning trip to Turkey with the best excuse ever: watching Atlético play Galatasaray live. The first away trip of 2026 – and starting off strong. Cold, really cold, the kind that makes you question your life choices… though it was much easier surrounded by so many fellow Atléticos, especially the supporters’ group from Germany, who almost made it feel like a home game. We stayed in Galata, in a very charming Airbnb community – one of those places that makes you feel half local, even if you can’t pronounce “merhaba.”