When ‘Creyentes’ told us about their initiative to hang the banners of the supporters’ clubs in the Metropolitano, our club didn’t hesitate for a moment: from the beginning, we were very clear that our banner should be there, adorning and bringing color, spirit, and presence. We joined this initiative because we are convinced that the banners are the veins through which the blood of the supporters’ clubs flows, and these are, in turn, the heart of any team. Without the supporters’ clubs and their representation, the team is nothing.

When the Champions League draw came out and it was announced that Atlético de Madrid would play against Borussia Dortmund in the quarterfinals, we, as the Peña Atlética de Alemania, jumped for joy. Finally, Atleti was coming to Germany Since we became an official peña, we hadn’t had the luck of hosting our team here, and we took it as a gift and an unparalleled opportunity to show how great our peña is.

As is customary for our away trips, the Peña Atlética de Alemania is always present many hours before the matches, in what is colloquially known as the “Previa” (eng. “pre-match gathering”). In this case, this meeting was organized in a pub in the city of Dortmund where the Champions League match between Dortmund and Atleti was taking place. More than 60 Atlético supporters from our club or friendly clubs attended this gathering. In an unbeatable festive atmosphere, food and drinks were enjoyed in good company until it was time to move to the Westfallenstadion.

The sports newspaper ’Mundo Deportivo’ echoes the story of the ‘Peña Atlética de Alemania’, with the main thread being the personal story of Carmen, our president and co-founder of the Fan Club. A club that has revitalized the enthusiasm for Atlético Madrid in Germany.

In the article, the passion of the club members, both Spanish and German, for the “colchonero” team and their participation in all Champions League matches is highlighted. Additionally, it emphasizes the identification of Germans with Atlético’s values, such as perseverance and fighting against adversities. Carmen expresses optimism ahead of the match against Borussia Dortmund, trusting in the strength of the fans to secure the team’s qualification for the next phase.

Today, March 8th, International Women’s Day, we celebrate, among other things, that women can enjoy football with total normality. Not many years ago this was considered odd, that a woman liked football was something “unfeminine”, for “machos”.

We have come a long way, and there is still a long way to go. We as fans notice it in many aspects, for example when we go to a stadium and among the security guards at the entrance controls, eight are men and only three are women. And this is just one example.