My Champions League Final

On my commute home one cool evening in May I feel my phone buzzing in my jacket's pocket. I pick up.

"Hey, man, listen. I've got to tell you something: I've got to go", my friend Jack intimates.

"And you need my permission?", I reply jokingly.

"No, dude. I have to go to the final".

With these words, Jack opened a door for me to complete the dream of a lifetime: to watch Juventus play and - let's not kid anyone - win a Champions League Final.

Another acquaintance of mine, Dom, had already planted a little bug in my ear, suggesting that we meet in Cardiff for the final before Juve's second semifinal against Monaco, generously offering me to split his accommodations if I decided to go.


The Clincher

In that phone call, Jack told me that unbeknownst to each other, we both had made separate requests for a single ticket to the Juventus Club DOC of Toronto. After a protracted and iterative process my membership ($65/season), enabled me to gain access to a ticket at face value for the big match. Membership has its benefits.


"Planes, Trains and Automobiles"

With logistics set, the long anticipated departure date came. Our silly WhatsApp group appropriately named "Ce ne andiamo a Cardiff" ("we are going to Cardiff", after the chant that Juventus players sang in the change room after seeing off Monaco) is buzzing with excitement and becomes populated with pictures of boarding passes, links on the match, and videos.

Dom (a fine and sophisticated gentleman) and I got the trip started in style at the Air Canada Lounge in Toronto's Pearson airport, before we marched off into our separate flight to chants of "Ce ne andiamo a Cardiff" audible from various groups of Juve fans all over Toronto's Pearson Airport.

After landing, we settled in had some great Indian cuisine, and some leisure time around town. I was particularly lucky to see my cousin perform in Judy, a musical that's in the Arts Theatre in central London for the next month (you should go catch it, if you're in London).

Cardiff, here we come!

Before we knew it, Saturday snuck up on us, and it was time to go to Cardiff.

Departing from Paddington Station, we met two brothers who had come from Porto Alegre, Brazil to watch the game.

The match

After quickly checking out the Around J party at the Three Rivers (check out the video here) it was finally match time.

Juventus played a decent (but not excellent) first half, responding to Cristiano Ronaldo's opening goal with a fabulous overhead kick by Mario Mandzukic.

Alas for my bianconeri, the first half was paired with a second that left wanting in terms of physical intensity. Then, at the second deflected goal conceded on the night, Juve's mental resolve and self-belief was broken. This set off Real's predatory instincts, with the Spanish taking full advantage and killing Juve off like a matador does a bull, by scoring two more goals. An emphatic loss to put an unsightly dent in a wonderful trip.


Epilogue

Despite the disheartening loss, I will look back on the positive aspects of this weekend: seeing my cousin, his theater work, and had some delicious food in the company of some pretty cool people, who were my acquaintances before this trip and I now consider friends.