Among the greatest draws of the Champions League – aside from the football itself, of course – is its capacity to showcase the variety and splendour of the venues that adorn the length and breadth of the continent. Whether it be the Santiago Bernabéu or De Kuip, Anfield or the Westfalenstadion, European football is blessed with spectacular, iconic and unique stadiums. But there’s more to Europe’s football grounds than just prestigious arenas. Indeed, the continent is awash with footballing meccas, as explored in Leon Gladwell’s new book, European Football’s Greatest Grounds: One Hundred Must-See Football Venues.
Compiled as a countdown, the book works systematically through its selected stadiums, the turn of each page bringing a sense of discovery and anticipation as Gladwell steers the reader from a Venetian fortress in Croatia to the suburbs of Paris, the grandeur of Monaco to a derelict stadium in Georgia. The purposeful decision to showcase the greatest grounds, rather than the most beautiful, creates a fascinating blend of the weird and wonderful. It highlights both pristine new-builds and dilapidated relics, romantic idylls and ghostly vestiges. The selections span from the Lofoten Islands in northern Europe to La Palma, just 300 kilometers off the coast of Africa, and from Armenia in the east to the Azores in the west.
There are plenty of destinations that will be familiar to European football fans, but it’s the mix of the famous and obscure that really thrills. Take, for instance, Milan. Unsurprisingly, the San Siro features, having staged the European Cup final in 1965, 1970, 2001 and 2016, and still a regular destination on the Champions League roster. Yet, just four kilometres away from this European behemoth lies a more hidden gem – the Arena Civica, one of the oldest surviving stadiums still in use in Europe. It may not have its neighbour’s Champions League cachet, but it is every bit a football fan’s haven.
So when you’re planning your next Champions League away day, it’s worth dipping into this book to see what other well-guarded secrets await around the corner in the side streets, suburbs and distant edges of Europe.
Among the greatest draws of the Champions League – aside from the football itself, of course – is its capacity to showcase the variety and splendour of the venues that adorn the length and breadth of the continent. Whether it be the Santiago Bernabéu or De Kuip, Anfield or the Westfalenstadion, European football is blessed with spectacular, iconic and unique stadiums. But there’s more to Europe’s football grounds than just prestigious arenas. Indeed, the continent is awash with footballing meccas, as explored in Leon Gladwell’s new book, European Football’s Greatest Grounds: One Hundred Must-See Football Venues.
Compiled as a countdown, the book works systematically through its selected stadiums, the turn of each page bringing a sense of discovery and anticipation as Gladwell steers the reader from a Venetian fortress in Croatia to the suburbs of Paris, the grandeur of Monaco to a derelict stadium in Georgia. The purposeful decision to showcase the greatest grounds, rather than the most beautiful, creates a fascinating blend of the weird and wonderful. It highlights both pristine new-builds and dilapidated relics, romantic idylls and ghostly vestiges. The selections span from the Lofoten Islands in northern Europe to La Palma, just 300 kilometers off the coast of Africa, and from Armenia in the east to the Azores in the west.
There are plenty of destinations that will be familiar to European football fans, but it’s the mix of the famous and obscure that really thrills. Take, for instance, Milan. Unsurprisingly, the San Siro features, having staged the European Cup final in 1965, 1970, 2001 and 2016, and still a regular destination on the Champions League roster. Yet, just four kilometres away from this European behemoth lies a more hidden gem – the Arena Civica, one of the oldest surviving stadiums still in use in Europe. It may not have its neighbour’s Champions League cachet, but it is every bit a football fan’s haven.
So when you’re planning your next Champions League away day, it’s worth dipping into this book to see what other well-guarded secrets await around the corner in the side streets, suburbs and distant edges of Europe.
Among the greatest draws of the Champions League – aside from the football itself, of course – is its capacity to showcase the variety and splendour of the venues that adorn the length and breadth of the continent. Whether it be the Santiago Bernabéu or De Kuip, Anfield or the Westfalenstadion, European football is blessed with spectacular, iconic and unique stadiums. But there’s more to Europe’s football grounds than just prestigious arenas. Indeed, the continent is awash with footballing meccas, as explored in Leon Gladwell’s new book, European Football’s Greatest Grounds: One Hundred Must-See Football Venues.
Compiled as a countdown, the book works systematically through its selected stadiums, the turn of each page bringing a sense of discovery and anticipation as Gladwell steers the reader from a Venetian fortress in Croatia to the suburbs of Paris, the grandeur of Monaco to a derelict stadium in Georgia. The purposeful decision to showcase the greatest grounds, rather than the most beautiful, creates a fascinating blend of the weird and wonderful. It highlights both pristine new-builds and dilapidated relics, romantic idylls and ghostly vestiges. The selections span from the Lofoten Islands in northern Europe to La Palma, just 300 kilometers off the coast of Africa, and from Armenia in the east to the Azores in the west.
There are plenty of destinations that will be familiar to European football fans, but it’s the mix of the famous and obscure that really thrills. Take, for instance, Milan. Unsurprisingly, the San Siro features, having staged the European Cup final in 1965, 1970, 2001 and 2016, and still a regular destination on the Champions League roster. Yet, just four kilometres away from this European behemoth lies a more hidden gem – the Arena Civica, one of the oldest surviving stadiums still in use in Europe. It may not have its neighbour’s Champions League cachet, but it is every bit a football fan’s haven.
So when you’re planning your next Champions League away day, it’s worth dipping into this book to see what other well-guarded secrets await around the corner in the side streets, suburbs and distant edges of Europe.
