Romanian fans flock to Trophy Tour

The UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour, presented by UniCredit, has continued its successful European run by pulling in tens of thousands of fans during a seven-day visit to Romania.

Romanian tour
The Trophy Tour stopped off in five provincial cities – Arad, Timisoara, Sibiu, Brasov and Pitesti – before enjoying a two-day stay in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, over the weekend of 3 and 4 October. The return of the European Champion Clubs' Cup to the south-eastern European country, for the first time since FC Steaua Bucureşti were crowned kings of Europe in 1986, proved irresistible to some 20,000 Romanian football supporters.

Road show
A total of around 10,000 fans turned out to see the continental game's travelling road show when it called in to Arad (28 September), Timisoara and Sibiu (29 September), Brasov (30 September) and Pitesti (1 October) en route to the capital. The event involved both the Trophy Tour ambassador for Romania, former Steaua goalkeeper Helmuth Duckadam, and the local authorities wherever it stopped to set up the Trophy Tour village – featuring displays of unique memorabilia, pictures and films, all conveying the rich tradition of the European Cup and UEFA Champions League.

'Unique opportunity'
Helmuth Duckadam said: "Romania can feel privileged, because five cities have had the unique opportunity of seeing this trophy. I have been in all the cities and realise how happy people have been to see the trophy. The biggest thing, for me, is the fact the next generation, the children, who had only previously seen the trophy on television, have now had a chance to see it and touch it. It is a big event which we can be proud of."

Long queues
The Romanian visit reached a climax in Bucharest on Saturday and Sunday when opening hours for public access to the Trophy Tour village had to be extended by 90 minutes on each day. Despite poor weather conditions on Sunday in particular, the now traditional long queues continued, resulting in an overall weekend turnout of about 10,000 people. Special Olympics athletes in Romania were also thrilled to be part of the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour, accompanying the tour throughout the Romanian leg.

'Big honour'
The supporters were able to have their picture taken with the European Cup, in addition to getting photographs with, and autographs from, Duckadam, hero of Steaua's penalty shoot-out win against FC Barcelona in the 1986 final in Seville. "It was a big honour to be nominated by UEFA as ambassador," said the former goalkeeper. "I never believed I would have another chance of putting my hand on the trophy."

Next stop Budapest
The Trophy Tour, making its first appearance in Europe, began its 2009/10 journey in Milan, then Zagreb. After leaving Romania, it heads for Hungary, and Budapest's Felvonulási Square, on 10 and 11 October before landing at its final destination of Sofia – Prince Alexander of Battenberg Square in the Bulgarian capital – on 17 and 18 October. These activities aim to give fans a truly memorable football experience by bringing them the magic of the European club game's most illustrious tournament. This Trophy Tour also marks the start of a three-year partnership between UEFA and UniCredit Group as a sponsor of the UEFA Champions League.

Click to watch Trophy Tour action from Milan or Zagreb.