Tonight, I'm Going to Keep a Dead Eye on You!

May 22, the Champions League Final.

From early morning, all of Madrid was immersed in the intense atmosphere of the final.

Tonight's clash was Real Madrid's last match of the season, and also its most important one. Media and fans around the world were eagerly awaiting the answer: would Real Madrid come out on top, or would Inter Milan once again produce a miraculous performance?

The Madrid city government had made preparations well in advance. Traffic police had been stationed at almost every intersection across the city, afraid that the two teams' fans might clash before the match, especially around the Bernabéu Stadium.

At noon, with eight or nine hours still remaining before the Champions League Final, fans of both teams could already be seen everywhere along the main urban road from Madrid's central city square to the Bernabéu Stadium. On closer inspection, it was not hard to notice that Real Madrid fans were somewhat more numerous. After all, this was Real Madrid's home territory.

What was interesting, though, was that Real Madrid would be using the away dressing room at the Bernabéu tonight.

Since Inter Milan's home kit was blue and black, Real Madrid would still be wearing its white home kit this time.

On the streets, Real Madrid fans in white were clearly more numerous than Inter Milan's supporters, and they were also more animated and excited.

In Real Madrid's last three Champions League Finals, the club had won the title every time, defeating Juventus, Valencia, and Leverkusen respectively. Clearly, Real Madrid had considerably more experience when it came to handling Champions League Finals.

Inter Milan's last appearance in the Champions League Final had to be traced back to the 1971–72 season. At the time, Inter Milan had lost 2–0 to Ajax at Feyenoord's stadium in the Netherlands,