UEFA Champions League in Manchester

Hey everyone! One of the most desirable experiences every traveler wants to have in Europe, especially in England, is going to a real soccer (football) game in person to feel the passion of all the fans and a world-class soccer game. England is a dominating country in the UEFA Champions League, an annual continental club football competition contested by top-division European clubs. Even though some people aren’t too big into soccer, everyone has at least heard of the Champions League and the World Cup. This past Wednesday, I was fortunate enough to attend a game of round 16 in the league between Manchester City FC and FC Basel. A game ticket to Manchester City is usually quite pricey because they are the leading team of this season. However, I was able to buy the ticket for about £20, by the courtesy of University of Manchester Student Union. I was utterly excited about the match because it was my first Champions League game ever and Man City has such great players and a record. Some friends from the U.S. and I took a tram through the city, full of Man City fans, to the stadium and it was so packed I couldn’t even move. Once we got into the stadium, the atmosphere was full of fans cheering for both sides with their distinct chants, along with some inexperienced viewers like ourselves. The match was mostly dominated by Man City but the final score was 2-1, Basel. Man City didn’t play some of their best players because they were going to make through the round as long as they didn’t lose by 4 goals because of the previous first leg game. I felt so content with the experience, smiling next to some hardcore fans who were very upset with the match result. Even though I was never too big into soccer before the night, I think I can call myself a newbie Manchester City fan now and I recommend anyone who is going to study abroad to find a chance to score a cheap ticket to any of the nearby soccer teams!