On May 19 the best of European football will make the Allianz Arena in Munich their destination, as the eyes of the world turn to the Final of football’s most prestigious club competition.
We've reached the crucial semi-final matches to decide the two teams who will play in the Champions League final, so let's take a look at the stadium Barcelona, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are aiming for...
The iconic stadium is known for the distinctive illuminated ‘cushions’ on the exterior facade, which change to red, blue or white depending on who is playing inside. And here's a look at how the stadium could appear on May 19, depending on which teams reach the final.
As a football stadium the Allianz Arena holds up to 69,901 spectators, and is one of Europe's elite stadiums. It took three years to build, and since its official opening on May 31, 2005, has hosted nearly 15 million fans and over 300 matches - including the opening match and semi-finals of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
In a unique opportunity, Allianz are giving fans the opportunity to walk through the stadium via the Football for Life Facebook page and website, football-for-life.com, enabling everyone to make the Allianz Arena their destination regardless of where they are in the world. The interactive 360° panorama tour takes fans into the dressing room, down the players’ tunnel and onto the pitch, the same walk the best players in European football will take in just under six weeks’ time.
It's the destination over 32 teams have competed to reach since June 2011, but will play host to just two teams and their army of travelling fans, unless of course Bayern Munich make the final. But in terms of a sporting venue, the Allianz Arena is a testament to football engineering in a time when the game is developing and clubs are striving to upgrade their stadiums.
Which teams do you think will play at the Allianz Arena on May 19 for the Champions League final, and how do you rate it compared with the various sporting arenas around the globe? Share your opinions online, on Twitter and on Facebook.