TO HUESCA WITH ATLETI FEMENINO

Seeing Atlético de Madrid Femenino in a Copa de la Reina final is, luckily, no longer anything out of the ordinary. We have a women’s team that really measures up, even though they’ve been a bit lackluster this past season. And I have great memories of cup finals (remember Butarque in 2023), so of course, I didn’t hesitate for a moment to attend this one.

Buying my ticket took some effort—the RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation) website leaves a lot to be desired—but the link Luis (from the Atleti fan clubs) sent me made everything easier. I arranged with Inés, a good friend and president of the Las Colchoneras fan club (the only one dedicated to the women’s team), to travel as a group, since the long trip from Madrid to Huesca is better with company.

Little did I suspect that those plans would change when, during the annual party for the Rojiblancas fan club, Lola Romero, president of Atlético de Madrid Femenino, convinced some of those present to attend. My friend Txus Rojas did a “hold my beer” and signed up for the trip on the spot. I therefore decided to go with her, which spared me the very early morning start that going with Las Colchoneras would have involved.

So, the two of us set off on June 7th, the day of the final, under a splendid sun and ready to get to the fan zone that had been set up for both sets of supporters in time. We covered the nearly 400km without any trouble and arrived at El Alcoraz, the venue for the final, at around one o’clock under a scorching sun. We decided to park near the stadium so we could leave immediately after the match, and we skipped the fan zone because a lunch had been organized for both sets of fans, which we were invited to at two o’clock, and we didn’t want to be late.

The event had been planned by the Royal Spanish Football Federation in coordination with the fan club coordinators from Atlético de Madrid and FC Barcelona, and it took place in the El Alcoraz stadium’s facilities. On Atleti’s side, nearby fan clubs had been invited, and there we met the Petón de Zaragoza club, the one from Jaca, Las Colchoneras, Rojiblancas, the Polish fan club (who never miss a game), the German one (who are also usually present), and many others I’m forgetting. It was wonderful to see both sets of fans sitting at the same table for a meal that also turned out to be excellent, singing together in an unrivaled party atmosphere, eager to celebrate. Their chants mixed with ours, and the blue and garnet flags mingled with the red and white ones, giving the room an unforgettable color and atmosphere. Shouting “Champions, champions!” all together, we made it clear that for everyone present, regardless of the result, the girls had already won.

To further strengthen the bonds between the two fanbases, a small scarf exchange ceremony between the fan clubs had been planned. We were called up one by one to an improvised photocall where two fan clubs would exchange their respective scarves, greet each other with sportsmanship, and proudly display the scarves. It was an act of fellowship that should be repeated before every match and in every stadium. The final photo shows all the fan clubs with the scarves, and seeing it fills me with pride.

We decided to head to a nearby bar, El Cerro, where we had been before lunch, to start the pre-game celebrations. The match started at seven in the evening, so there was plenty of time. Just as during the meal, the two sets of fans celebrated together in complete peace and harmony. There, we were lucky enough to meet new colchoneros (Atlético fans), most of them members of the Peña Atlética de Jaca, with whom we had a great time sharing laughs and good humor. Once again, the colors and chants mixed together, and once again, it became clear how much having a common enemy (who wears white, as we all know) can unite people. Among the fans was Lucía García, a player for Manchester United and the Spanish national team, who we chatted with for a while.

We celebrated football and the friendship between the fan clubs until we headed to the stadium, where the good atmosphere continued. Even though we were in the minority, we colchoneros could be heard loud and clear, and we never stopped cheering on our girls, knowing that a victory would be very difficult—but as we know, for us, nothing is impossible.

It wasn’t to be; we lost 2-0, but we gained something much more precious: friends, experiences, and memories, and that’s what matters. Because the result matters, of course, but in this case, it was the least important thing.

Many thanks to the Federation and to the fan club coordinators from both clubs for making this gathering of friendship and fellowship possible; thanks to Las Colchoneras for organizing the trip, and of course, thank you to everyone for creating the kind of football we love: one of fellowship, friendship, and respect.

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