Games

It all started with an innocuous notification: “Atlético de Madrid begins its pre-season in Porto.” Nothing unusual, right? Well, not for us. For Txus and me, it was like a divine sign. Without a second thought—because thinking has never been our strong suit on these adventures—we did the only logical thing: pack a picnic basket, find affordable tickets (which turned out to be free!), and head to Portugal as if we were ambassadors of the international Colchonero spirit.

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.

There is no worse rival in the Champions League for Atlético de Madrid than their neighbor “the Cheats,” and not because they play good football, but because they resort to every possible trick (even the most devious) to advance on their path to the “Big Ears” trophy.

The draw (or who knows who) decided that there would be another derby in the Champions League to reach the round of sixteen, with the return leg taking place at the Metropolitano Stadium. We decided that this would be the perfect day for our lucky mascot Juliana to visit what is her true home for the first time and introduce herself to our crowd.

It was one of those nights you never forget. My first Copa del Rey match at the Estadio Metropolitano, and I could hardly believe I was finally here. The stadium lights cast a warm glow over the stands, and even though it wasn’t completely full, there was an electrifying tension in the air. Atlético Madrid’s red and white colors shone brightly in the night, and I felt like part of something bigger.

We only needed a draw in Salzburg to automatically qualify for the Champions League round of 16. And since we were all confident we would achieve it and no one wanted to miss the party, we packed winter clothes in our backpacks and set off for the city of Mozart.

The train was the chosen means of transportation for most of us, and from Cologne, six of us traveled together. We had booked in advance and began marking our territory on the train by decorating the tables with the flags of the supporters’ group, on which we laid out an appetizing meal that sparked envy among the other passengers.