adidas Celebrate Special Wembley Dates On New UCL Match Ball
The return of the Champions League knock-out stages brings with it the official unveiling of the new adidas Finale Wembley 2013. This year, the Champions League final returns to Wembley Stadium and adidas have re-decorated their famous Finale for the biggest football spectacle of the season.
The new design celebrates the six past European Cup showpieces held at the 'home of football'. The visual graphics of the ball refelct the six finals played at Wembley Stadium. From AC Milan in 1963 to Barcelona in 2011, all the previous European Cup classics held at Wembley are celbrated across the iconic star panel design. 
This season's Finale edition will be the 20th official match ball adidas has produced for the UEFA Champions League. The graphics and colour scheme combine to reflect the grandeur of the special occasion, which will watched by Wembley's 90,000-strong crowd and the hundreds of millions across the world. 
"The ball is bold, iconic and almost regal in appearance which, for us, brilliantly reflects the UEFA Champions League values and the fact that this year's final will be held in London," said Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA Events SA marketing director.
"This season will see the ball used on-pitch for all knockout stage matches along the road to Wembley, where the Kings of Europe will be crowned on what promises to be another historic night of European club football." 
Tech wise, the adidas Finale match ball remains one of the most advanced balls in the game. Constructed from star shaped panels for perfect aerodynamics, the ball uses thermal bonding technology, negating the need for seams and stitching. The benefits of which are not just a prolonged the life of the ball, but also a more predictable trajectory, better touch and lower water uptake.
The '63 final between AC Milan Benfica was the first big UEFA game to be held at Wembley 
The new adidas Finale Wembley 2013 will be available to order this Friday from selected online stockists. We'll see the ball in action for the first time on February 12th when the Champions League knock out fixtures commence. Let us know what you think!
