Heading to Cardiff for capital carnival, we went from the streets to the seats as Real Madrid and Juventus came to town for the 2017 Champions League Final. With an eye for a retro shirt and a beer in the sun we captured a fans perspective of what Cardiff had to offer, as the pre-match atmosphere rose and the cervezas & vino flowed.
As far as European Final venues go, Cardiff takes some beating for location. Smack bang in the middle of the city centre with pubs and bars man-marking the stadium from every angle, it's a recipe for atmosphere and the city's tourists for the weekend duly cooked up a party of festival flavour. Italians, Spanish and locals flooded the streets from Cardiff Bay to Cardiff Castle creating a celebratory atmosphere that all sides can be proud of. No bother, no goading, no aggression. Just passion, respect and the aim to have a damn good time in the Welsh sun.
Hala Madrid and Forza Juve chants were thrown back and forth with pride as fans made their way up St Mary Street, disappearing briefly to prop up bars and turn their nerves into expectancy, before rejoining the crowds that little bit more louder as kick off approached. From the old guard to the optimistic youngsters, the excitement of watching your team at a major cup final is ageless and an impossible emotion to bottle up. Not many venues can welcome you in with joy & excitement and spit you back out broken & empty like a football stadium can.
Into the ground and a colossal cauldron of noise bounced off the enclosed roof as the Principality Stadium's famous acoustics provided the energetic amp for atmosphere. With Real Madrid running out 4-1 winners the gates reopened and crowds, drinks and tears spilled back onto the streets and into the night. Cardiff, it was a pleasure.
