Gareth Bale is from Cardiff. In case you didn’t know that, there’s a poster attached to a lamp-post that says just that. In fact, Cardiff is rolling out the red carpet for what will probably be the first and last time Wales hosts the European Super Cup, and has decorated streets near Cardiff City Stadium in numerous posters and banners in English, Welsh and Spanish. You don’t get awarded the official “European Capital of Sport” for nothing.
Rumours that James Rodriguez and Toni Kroos will make their competitive debuts have set Spanish football fans’ tongues wagging, but in Wales, this game is about one man. And that man wants to win six trophies this season – starting tonight.
Bale is perfectly positioned to have a memorable season. No World Cup fatigue, a complete, transfer-saga-free close season, a noticeable increase in muscle, and already a couple of pre-season goals – including a typical 30-yard stunner. He’s ready to be unstoppable.
Aside from Bale’s Champions League final goal, probably his most memorable contribution last season was his unique, match-winning strike against Barcelona in the Copa Del Ray final.
Unique for the fact that after picking the ball up in his own half, a tackle version of hoofing the ball into Row Z by Marc Bartra that pushed Bale over the touchline barely saw him lose stride. Or was it? Actually, around 13,000 Welsh fans will testify that Bale scored a very similar goal for Wales against Iceland about a month before the Copa del Ray final at the very same venue as tonight’s clash against Sevilla.
Therefore it is little wonder that Welsh fans have been snapping up tickets for the final. Who knows when the next opportunity to see the world’s two most expensive players together will come again?
Locals have gleefully purchased tickets that Madrid and Seville fans returned unsold– and who can blame them when tickets were initially priced at £40, £75 or £110, plus a £20 outside-of-UK admin fee, all of which is before transport and accommodation. Up to two weeks ago, both clubs’ official website and Twitter feeds lacked any mention of ticket details. Thankfully, all tickets are now sold, and the stage is perfectly set for a Bale masterclass.
Wales as a whole has welcomed the Super Cup with open arms. The city has been decked out, the local media have had running news feeds, taking any opportunity to post a picture of Bale, and have monitored every move he or Ronaldo made in training.
The three trophies – Champions League, Europa League and Super Cup – have traveled the length and breadth of the country, including being snapped sitting proudly at 1,085m on top of Wales’ highest peak, Mount Snowdon. Then back to a more comfortable altitude of Cardiff city centre where throngs of fans have taken the opportunity to have their picture with ‘Big Ears’ and company.
Cardiff is used to hosting big rugby events. But being the centre of the football universe for a night is a very new experience.
The posters and banners may disappear into the Welsh night as quickly as free-kick vanishing spray – which incidentally faces its debut tonight on British soil in any game of significance. But Welsh and British fans will savour the moment when they see upwards of €500m worth of talent.
