Events

On September 13, as every year, the long-awaited Atlético de Madrid Supporters’ Clubs Day took place, and of course, our peña was there. A group of our members showed up at the Metropolitano, full of excitement, ready to enjoy themselves, socialize, and above all, have fun. And fun we definitely had…

Right from the start, the atmosphere was amazing. Between hugs, greetings, and the occasional “¡qué pasa, máquina!”, there was that special energy that only appears when the true Atlético family comes together. Kids ran around, the adults caught up with old friends, and for a few hours, we all felt like we were in our little red-and-white paradise.

Since its first edition in 2023, I have always attended Atleti en Femenino as a spectator. I was greatly surprised when, a few weeks ago, I received an invitation to participate in this year’s event as a guest at a discussion panel. Of course, I didn’t hesitate for a minute and immediately planned everything to ensure I wouldn’t miss the occasion.

On the afternoon of Tuesday, March 18, I went to the Metropolitano, whose auditorium hosted the third edition of the Atleti en Femenino event. Everything was scheduled to start at 7:03 PM, but we participants were asked to arrive at 6:00 PM to finalize the details. Some of the most prominent figures in the Atlético community related to women’s football gathered at this event, and I was delighted to see Amanda Sampedro behind the scenes with her parents, with whom I chatted for quite a while.

The Day of the Peñas is a day designed for all peñistas to come to the stadium and celebrate that we are one red-and-white family. Unfortunately, the sanction imposed a few days ago by Atlético de Madrid on the members of the animation section dampened the festive atmosphere compared to previous years. Many members who had nothing to do with the throwing of lighters during the last derby were unable to enter. Not only that, but they now face a ban from traveling to matches for five games, even though some had already booked flights and hotels.

The essence of a supporters’ club lies not only in attending games together or assisting its members but also in representing Atlético de Madrid and honoring its name. A few months ago, we learned coincidentally that there are some avid Atleti fans among the students in the 4th grade of the public school CEIP “Ntra. Sra. de las Nieves” in La Zarza (Badajoz).

We came up with the idea that we could bring them some joy, and when Christmas arrived, our supporters’ club decided to write to the Three Wise Men so that they could leave them a red-and-white gift on our behalf. Today, they sent us these photos that show their joy upon opening the package, proudly displaying the flags, scarves, and other details inside.

Sometimes, fan clubs come up with ideas that initially seem utopian, but when the International Union of Fan Clubs (Unión Internacional de Peñas) and Club Atlético de Madrid collaborate, everything becomes easier.

One of these ideas was to shape a project that had been in mind for a while but had never been carried out: a Meeting of European Atlético Fan Clubs. The number of fan clubs representing us beyond national borders is growing, and the goal of this meeting was to give them a voice and visibility, and, above all, to make them feel part of the red-and-white family.