Viaje

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.

And another peñistic weekend arrived, this time in Sigüenza! I had the honor of being invited to the 30th anniversary of Peña Seguntina, and the celebration began in the best possible way: with a ham and wine tasting that was absolutely spectacular. Between slices and sips, you could already feel the Peña spirit and the excitement to fully enjoy the day.

Afterwards, we went to enjoy a delicious roast lamb, of course at a great restaurant, where no fewer than 4 of the 5 Peñas from Guadalajara gathered. The table had an extra touch of luxury: the legends Solozábal and Fresnedoso, whom I had the pleasure of sitting next to—along with Sandra, the president of Seguntina, and Txus Rojas! Between laughter, anecdotes, and good humor, the meal turned into a true Peña feast.

What a peñistic weekend we had! It all started on November 15th in Burgos, celebrating the 15th anniversary of Peña Gamonal. Around 11 a.m., a bus picked us up (yes, like a school trip, but with more excitement and zero homework) and took us to the Peña. They gave us a full tour and treated us to an aperitif that was absolutely delicious. Between tapas and laughter, we could already feel the special Peña magic.

After the draw, I was really looking forward to a great match against Arsenal in London.

So I booked everything right away, and the excitement grew as the match day approached. Early in the morning, I took the train to Frankfurt and then the flight to Heathrow. The constant rain on arrival dampened the mood a little, but it didn’t matter — I was there to support our ATLETI.

I quickly took the Tube to the hotel, which was not far from Victoria Station. The oldest station in London is always beautiful to see. After checking in, I went for a walk and stopped at the “Shakespeare” pub across the street to enjoy the first pint.