Inside the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
Arsenal were drawn against a star studded, Real Madrid team, in the knockout stage of the Champions League and won the 1st Leg, 1-0 in Madrid.
This result meant that Arsenal became the first English team ever, to beat Real Madrid at their own ground in the European Cup/ Champions League.
We arrived the day before the game and after a tour of the stadium and museum, we bumped into Spandau, who’d just bought a ticket in the Arsenal section, from a bloke outside the stadium.
Dodger and Tony A also bought tickets from the same fella, but were a bit concerned as they were printed on flimsy paper and didn’t look legit.
Never judge a book by its cover though, as they turned out to be ok, or maybe the turnstile man had dodgy eyesight.
Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
I can’t believe I’ll be watching Arsenal in there.
Dodger - Tony Adelizzi - Guy & Myself.
Guy is ready to play!!
2 Old North Bank Boys in Dreamland.
Dreamland!!
Arsenal Fans section was on right, 3 tiers up between penalty area and corner flag.
Museum.
Museum ticket.
Some of the past Real Madrid players.
Winners of the first five European Cup Finals.
Some more previous players.
The Original Galacticos - 1955-1960.
Raymond Kopa - Luis Del Sol - Alfredo Di Stefano - Ferenc Puskas - Francisco Gento.
Modern Day Superstar - Zinedine Zidane.
Original Superstar - Alfredo Di Stefano.
World Club Champions Cups.
Assorted trophies.
I think they nicked this one off the Aztecs!!!
Athletico Madrid.
Athletico Madrid stadium.
Even got a main road going under the stand.
Definitely the poor neighbours in terms of trophies.
Main Entrance.
We then took a quick look at the Athletico Madrid stadium and some of the sights before meeting lots of other Gooners and our old mate, Lenny T, in the Hard Rock café for dinner and drinks.
Guy was enthralled by all the stories that he was hearing about the old days.
So much so, that on the morning after the game, as we were sitting on the plane waiting to take off, he loudly said to me, “Grandad, You were a bit of a nutter when you were young “.
Most of the people on the plane turned to see who this nutter was.
As the song says, “Nowhere to run, Nowhere to hide”.
Match Day.
On the day of the match we met up with Mickey C & Paul W in Plaza Mayor for a few beers and then went to the stadium.
Mickey C & Paul W meet us for a beer.
Match ticket.
Galacticos.
Gunners.
It was a bitterly cold evening and Guy and myself had about 4 layers of clothing on.
After a while sitting in the stadium, we were strangely very warm, then we noticed that there were gigantic heaters hanging from the roof above us.
The teams line up.
Spandau’s banner goes up.
The stage is set and the rest is history.
Arsenal turned in a very professional performance and Thierry Henry scored a wonderful solo goal to beat the “Galacticos” 1-0.
The travelling Gooners could hardly believe their eyes.
After the game we found a bar where the barmen were Athletico fans and they kept giving us tapas, as a reward for beating their arch rivals.
When that bar closed, we found another next to our hotel and, in the early hours, I told Guy we were leaving.
His replied, what bar are we going to now?
He was 11 years old.
He seemed upset when I told him, no more bars, it’s your bedtime.
One of the best days ever.
I never thought I’d see Arsenal win in the Bernabéu, when I was his age.
Highbury.
I managed to get a ticket for the 2nd Leg.
Thierry Henry & Myself are thrilled.
Raul isn’t though.
Next Post - Thursday 25/6/2020.
Parisian Heartbreak.
Comments/Questions - oldgunnersandgooners@gmail.com
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