White and yellow flood the streets of London earlier than the ‘Champions’ finale

London. The followers of Actual Madrid and Borussia Dortmund added coloration and soundtrack with their chants to the streets of central London, the place their groups will play the Champions League last this Saturday at 7:00 p.m. GMT.

In a relaxed ambiance among the many followers, yellow and white t-shirts have been combined within the British capital, with Spanish and German followers even joking with one another regardless of the generally insurmountable language barrier.

“It is for Madrid, it is for Madrid!” shouted a veteran fan of the white membership, named Ángel, on his shirt, whereas he pulled with out a lot drive on the deal with of a plastic duplicate of the Champions League trophy they’d. in his palms two followers of the German membership, who responded with a smile.

The scene happened in Piccadilly Circus, one of many principal assembly locations for followers.

In Trafalgar Sq., the place UEFA organized a closed venue (“Champions Competition”), followers may pose, for instance, with pretend pink phone cubicles within the purest London fashion, adorned with the crests of each groups.

Within the environment of the stadium, the police presence a number of hours earlier than the sport was very seen.

After the photographs of chaos that have been skilled at Wembley itself earlier than the Euro Cup last in 2021 and particularly in Paris within the 2022 Champions League last, the final one which Actual Madrid gained, the organizers took motion. This occasion as an organizational problem and a take a look at for Euro 2028, the place essentially the most legendary stadium in English soccer would be the venue for the ultimate.

fifteenth or second

The battle of the decibels was gained in lots of circumstances by the Dortmund followers, particularly enthusiastic towards some Actual Madrid followers already extra accustomed to experiencing the hours earlier than a grand last.

Historical past speaks for itself: Actual Madrid is the king of the competitors with its 14 titles, 5 of them achieved within the final decade, whereas Borussia Dortmund solely has one in its document, achieved 27 years in the past.

“It’s the definitive rival, there may be nothing larger within the Champions League than Actual Madrid, for its titles and its historical past,” Nico Schlotterbeck, one of many heads of the German protection, admitted on Friday.

Dortmund prefers to achieve the ultimate with a low profile, the third in its historical past within the Champions League. They gained the primary, in 1997 towards Juventus, and misplaced the second in 2013 towards Bayern Munich, exactly in the identical London stadium as this Saturday’s match.

Though Actual Madrid is an everyday presence within the finals, few have been relying on Dortmund firstly of the season, particularly after having misplaced their stars Erling Haaland of their final seasons, who left for Manchester Metropolis in mid-2022. , and Jude Bellingham, who virtually a yr in the past joined Actual Madrid.

Ancelotti, with warning

Though in Germany their efficiency has been discreet and so they haven’t been in a position to combat for the title, in Europe Edin Terzic’s staff has shocked, flattening Atlético de Madrid within the quarterfinals and, above all, Kylian Mbappé’s Paris Saint-Germain within the semifinals.

Actual Madrid additionally reached the ultimate with illustrious victims of their profession, particularly Manchester Metropolis, defending champions, whom they beat within the penalty shootout within the quarterfinals.

Within the semifinals, the Spanish eradicated one other historic staff, Bayern Munich, with an epic comeback within the last moments.

“A last is a last, crucial sport and essentially the most harmful on the identical time. You need to get pleasure from it, however we even have the concern that one thing may go fallacious,” mentioned Actual Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti on Friday, who didn’t He included surprises in his last eleven.

The Italian, who up to now gained the Champions twice as a participant and 4 occasions as a coach, he started his first stage at Actual Madrid in 2013, succeeding José Mourinho on the bench, the person whose face occupies the canvas of one of many buildings situated in entrance of the Wembley stadium, in a Turkish Airways airline promoting.

The Actual Madrid followers had enjoyable taking images with him and likewise with a life-size cardboard of Toni Kroos, the emblematic German participant who will play his final match in membership soccer on Saturday, earlier than dealing with his final journey earlier than retiring. with Germany within the Euro Cup.