José Luis Martínez-Almeida was the protagonist of one of the events of the year this past Saturday. The mayor of Madrid married his partner Teresa Urquijo, in a ceremony that attracted the attention of much of the Spanish capital. The parish of the Sacred Heart and San Francisco de Borja, also known as the Jesuits of Serrano church, was the scene of the ceremony.
During the nuptials, more than 500 guests gathered and watched the ‘I do’ and the subsequent celebrations. One of those present was Diego Pablo Simeone, coach of Atlético de Madrid, who this Wednesday faces Borussia Dortmund in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. His attendance at the wedding generated a curious anecdote, derived from the couple’s wedding list, which amounted to 85,000 euros.
The mayor’s entourage is known for his love for the Colchonero team, in addition to considering Cholo as one of his greatest idols. In fact, the groom had one of the best-known phrases of the red and white team embroidered on the lapel of his morning suit: “Never stop believing,” accompanied by his coat of arms. Just after finishing the ceremony, Almeida approached Simeone to ask for a “gift” that was not present in the church.
“It has been a very rehearsed, very prepared ceremony. Her sister Angela told me that it was the happiest day of her brother’s life, that she had never seen him so happy. Now he is crazy to find a place to watch a soccer game. It was Simeone because he is one of his idols. She approached Simeone and told him that the best gift he could give her was to bring her the Champions League,” revealed journalist Roberto Gómez, close to the Madrid president.
The Champions League continues to be one of the great dreams of the three-time Europa League champions. The colchoneros have only played one final since their implosion as a European promise, and it was one of the most complicated moments in their history: 2014, when they lost 4-1 against their greatest rival, Real Madrid, who achieved their long-awaited victory. Tenth. And, for the moment, the dream remains alive.
Atlético and Dortmund face each other at the Metropolitano tonight at 9:00 p.m., with the hope of reaching Wembley Stadium on June 1. If they qualify for the semi-finals, their rival would leave the tie between FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, who duel at the same time at the Parc des Princes. On the other side of the draw, Real Madrid and Manchester City starred in an electric duel that ended 3-3 at the Santiago Bernabéu.
