THE EUROCUP SATISFIED OUR CRAVING

When the League ends, we all have the same thought: What do I do now without football? Almost two months without seeing the ball roll feels eternal, but there are summers (like this one) where an international tournament satisfies our craving.

This year, the Eurocup was held in Germany, and in our supporters’ club, we have followers of various national teams. For once, we swapped our red and white jerseys for those of the teams we support and got ready to enjoy the tournament.

By chance (or maybe fate?) and also, let’s be honest, due to the incredible connections we have in our club, I heard about available tickets for the Spain-Albania match in Düsseldorf. I immediately grabbed them, and almost the entire board ended up at the stadium to watch the match. We also managed to get tickets for the Turkey-Portugal match, which other club members used.

The next match for the Spanish team was against Georgia and would be played in Cologne, a city where many of us live. To our surprise, FASFE and the City of Cologne contacted us, choosing our club to help prepare the fan zone and organize the march to the stadium. It was a great honor, pride, and recognition that they counted on our help, especially when they wrote to us the next day to congratulate us on the smooth operation of the organization.

Excitement was building, and different media outlets started contacting us; they know us from our previous actions for Atlético de Madrid and know we are always willing to collaborate. Among these media was the radio station Onda Madrid, which began calling before the match in Cologne and continued until just before the final in Berlin. They proclaimed our president a lucky charm for the Spanish team, and probably rightly so, as each of her interventions was followed by a victory for La Roja.

We decided to meet in a central spot in Cologne to eat together, with members of the Colchoneros of Luxembourg (including their president Paco) joining us, for whom we managed to get tickets. The fan zone and the march to the stadium were memorable; all of Cologne was with us, making it a wonderful day where the Spanish team was the star, but Atlético was very much present—we are red and white to the core.

The next match was one of the most significant, as the Spanish and German teams faced off. Our club’s hearts were divided, but nothing clouded the joy of the encounter in Stuttgart, where some members were also present. The result, as expected, made some happy and others sad, as Germany was unfortunately knocked out of the competition.

La Roja had reached the semifinals. Ticket prices were rising and becoming scarcer, but we kept securing tickets for our members, this time for the Spain-France match in Munich. We went there and enjoyed a legendary pre-match and a game for the ages: Spain eliminated France and reached the Eurocup final—who would have thought!

The next day, when it was known that England was the second finalist, ticket madness ensued. Prices soared, demand was huge, interest reached unknown heights, euphoria was palpable from miles away, but we had proven before that nothing is impossible for our club, and we got tickets again! Not as many as we would have liked, but our club would once again be represented in such an important official match as the European Cup final.

The journey to Berlin was unforgettable: several club members traveled together, and the party started early on a train decorated for the occasion: bunting hung everywhere, tables turned into playing fields, and Deutsche Bahn’s affordable prices made many fans choose public transport. Members of the Polish Club living in Berlin offered their homes for us to sleep in, picking us up at the central station, guiding us around the city, and showing that we are two sister clubs.

We headed to the fan zone at the Brandenburg Gate, where Spaniards mixed with English fans. Around 4 PM, it had to be closed due to the enormous crowd, but there were other meeting points around, ensuring the fun continued.

Anticipation and nerves grew steadily, so we decided to head to the stadium early. We traveled by metro, and the ride was unforgettable, singing with English fans, laughing, and enjoying the historic moment we were living. There was a spirit of camaraderie rarely seen in such high-stakes matches, and we knew we were experiencing a unique and special moment.

The sight of the Olympiastadion is simply impressive. The esplanade was full of stalls with food and drink, fans sang, took joint photos, hugged; euphoria was in the air, and the desire for football kept growing.

There’s no need to comment on the match result: Spain crowned itself once again as European champion with a young, enthusiastic, and multicolored team that gave us a flawless tournament. We celebrated as the occasion deserved, and the next day, while Madrid celebrated at Cibeles, we, as good Colchoneros, went to Berlin’s Neptuno to celebrate the victory properly.

Thanks to Germany for pouring their heart into the Eurocup, for the superb organization that made us feel welcome at all times. Thanks to La Roja for filling us with hope from the start. Thanks to the fans for behaving well. And thanks to everyone who made it possible for us to get tickets to enjoy an unforgettable championship.

As Peña Atlética de Alemania, we have shown once again that we have unbeatable contacts and an impeccable reputation; that we are considered beyond matters related to Atlético de Madrid, and that our members are examples of good conduct and brotherhood. We truly are a red and white family in Germany, showing it not only with our members but also in our relations with neighboring clubs.

We are still feeling the aftermath …

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