From our special correspondent, in Lisbon
Masks on the faces, streets less densely populated than usual at the same period. And, from time to time, a PSG jersey. It is in the most total anonymity that the Final 8 is about to start in Lisbon, where football, usually so present, seems to have deserted the scene. The gloomy end of the season for Benfica (absent from the party) has something to do with it, but always less than this hyper restrictive health context which will give this competition a bitter taste.
No extras, bars that close early
Coronavirus crisis requires, supporters' gatherings are prohibited and the CUP, despite its successful experience around the Park against Dortmund, decided not to undertake anything in the Portuguese capital on Wednesday evening for the quarter-final against the 'Atalanta. From what we could hear from pieces of conversations of Parisian supporters intercepted Tuesday at the foot of the statue of Eusébio, place of pilgrimage in front of the Estadio da Luz, some of them intend to come and shout around the scarlet arena to give strength to Neymar & co.
You have a message #PSGATA # COVID19
Go Paris! pic.twitter.com/wntTMdQGco
Not said that several dozen, they manage to be heard. They were thousands to crack smoke and firecrackers in February to reach the ears of players. And if, tired of shouting, they decide to fall back in front of a bar's TV, again not sure that they will come to an end: most close at 8 p.m. to avoid the spread of the virus. Depression. We still count on our English friends to go find the only pub in town open until 2am.
The PSG hotel attracts the curious
Among the most enthusiastic, immigrants and Luso-descendants on vacation in their homelands take advantage of the circumstances to camp in front of the Parisian hotel, a colossus of who knows how many meters a stone's throw from the Vasco da Gama bridge, again bigger. In front of us, a father pulls his hair to have proposed to the son to camp in front of the building to see Kylian Mbappé. "I just want to see his face, even a bit of his hair," pleads the kid, convinced he has seen players in the dining hall through the bay window. The locals have fun with this little show on the ground of their morning jogging, stop, turn around, start again then come back. But they are never more than four or five. From a distance. The rest ? Only journalists.
Few journalists in the gallery
It must be said that the perimeter around the hotels of the teams as well as the training grounds are the only places where certain special envoys will be able to come into visual contact with the team and the staff. Seating inside the stadium is expensive, both for press conferences and matches, and most accreditation requests are unsuccessful. The local media and the countries concerned by the teams as well as the TV rights holders are privileged. As much to say to you that for example, Leipzig-Atlético, it is already dead for us.
Few journalists, few supporters, and the fake atmosphere of the sound system only for viewers. The Parisians and the others will therefore be able to count only two themselves to do violence to each other on the ground. But it's still a Champions League to win, at the end.
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Teams scattered across the city
Lisbon, the city of seven hills, actually has 8. If we hadn't wanted to get bored, we would have stuck one on each peak. Instead, it took the teams and the organizers to complicate everything. And it does more work for us to tell you who nurses and plays where in the city (and on the outskirts).
PSG: Myriad Hotel, Sporting training center
OL: Cascais Miragem, Estadio do Restelo
Barça: Sheraton Cascais, Estadio do Jamor
Bayern: Penha Longa Resort, Mafra Stadium
Leipzig: Palacio Estoril, Estoril stadium
Atalanta: Hotel Corinthia, Casa Pia
Manchester City: Sheraton Lisboa, Cidade do futebol
Atlético de Madrid: Epic Sana Hotel, Benfica training center
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