The desire to celebrate what they had and also what they will have was clear on Saturday’s opening day, from the moment they got off the metro, decorated with images from the
Jacob Tamme Youth Jersey club’s history and their former homes at the Retiro, the Metropolitano and the Calderón. It was clear too in the fight to keep their best players this summer: offers came for a dozen footballers, but none were accepted and players were renewed instead. It came at a cost, and a big one, but it was important. It’s no good moving into a new home and not taking everyone with you. Improve the stadium and weaken the team doesn’t work. Still less in the debut season, where there is anxiety as well as anticipation. Apart from the sense of being uprooted, there are concerns over the practicalities and the economic impact. What was originally presented as effectively a ‘free’ stadium, Atlético taking and rebuilding the arena earmarked for three failed Olympic bids in return for their old place, has in fact cost them €170m plus the €140m value of the Calderón site. Costs have grown since it started in 2008; they needed a loan in 2016 to keep going. And keeping the players has increased the demands on them to the extent that Champions League qualification is not an objective, it’s an obligation. But Cerezo says it will be paid for in seven or eight years, and that it is a necessary step into a new era. There’s a little of the modern stadium thing: broad passageways, ample aisles, space between seats, ?too?? comfortable? It was a big step, and an uncertain one. The stadium is still unfinished – inside and out cables hang unconnected, painting is not yet done, trees are unplanted, taped-up print-outs act as signs, and dust from the building work lingers, while the access from the M40 motorway that borders it to one side have not been built. But on Saturday, the Wanda was ready at last. Car parks were full – although at €300, season tickets there cost almost as much as they do in the stands, and most come by metro. The travel chaos feared did not happen, not least because fans arrived early, encouraged to do so by opening-day activities. There were bouncy castles and fan zones, music and two happy hours. And so, Saturday
http://www.footballpanthershop.com/Jonathan_Stewart_Jersey_Cheapcomes. The Recap: sign up for the best of the Guardian's sport coverage Read more On the concourse outside the stadium there are metallic plaques dedicated to every player who has made 100 appearances for the club. Fans seek out Luis Aragonés, and Simeone, Fernando Torres, Garate, Kiko. They seek out defector Hugo Sánchez too, scuffing at it and putting
Jalin Marshall Authentic Jersey stickers over the top. Players’ pictures run along walls. Red and white, the biggest flag in Spain flies outside. It is not an especially pretty stadium outside, but the doors open at 7pm, an hour and 45 minutes before kick-off, and the inside impacts. It is genuinely spectacular: huge, high and steep. The King is in the directors’ box. The radios are in early and they’re getting emotional. There is an homage to their former homes pre-game. The play-list in the arena is the same as was at the Calderón: 80s rock, mostly. Thunderstruck booms out. Down in the tunnel, players head out to warm up. On the walls are the slogans that have been covered until the morningAfter last season’s achievements, St?ger deserves time – but as the level of support in London indicated, this is a club whose size should not be overlooked and difficult situations have spun out of control in the past, most notably during St?le Solbakken’s spell in charge. Overachieving teams are often knocked off kilter by a surprise European qualification and Bundesliga points are needed quickly to avoid the trap
http://www.broncosfootballprosshop.com/Justin_Simmons_Jersey_CheapThis week’s game against fellow strugglers Eintracht Frankfurt – who have only scored twice themselves this season – is already crucial
