The Ataturk stadium and "the miracle of Istanbul" in the Champions League.

Learn about the history of the scene of the final between City and Inter, which has an incredible precedent in world football.

About 30 minutes by car from the center of Istanbul and located in the western district of Ikitelli, the Ataturk Olympic Stadium awaits that crowd that this Saturday at 10 pm (Turkey time, six more than in Argentina) will fill the 76,090 available places to experience the grand final of the Champions League between Inter and Manchester City. Designed by the same architects as the famous World Trade Center in New York and inaugurated in 2002, it owes its name to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the first president in the history of the Republic of Turkey.

The stadium bets on originality. It has a modern construction for the time. It is divided into four stands. The sides are called west and east. How do you differentiate them? In the first, it has a higher ceiling that covers the entire sector. Opposite, the roof is smaller and only partially shades. And behind both arches, these stands (north and south) are not covered. As the area where the Ataturk is located is quite unpopulated, the stadium is characterized by being too windy. "The stadium of the wind", they call it in Istanbul.

The famous miracle match.

This stadium holds one of the most memorable moments in the history of the Champions League. The only time that a final for La Orejona was played on this stage was in 2005. And that match between Liverpool and Milan went down in football history as "the miracle of Istanbul."The Italian team led 3-0 in the first half, with a brace from Hernán Crespo.

That team had Kaká, Paolo Maldini and their coach was Carlo Ancelotti. But the English team did not give up and achieved the heroic 3-3 victory in the plugin to take the game to extra time and then to penalties, an instance in which they would end up striking and becoming champion. It's in the books. The celebrations of Liverpool and the sadness of Milan seem to still roam this stadium, which in Turkey is not used every weekend but rather on specific occasions, such as when their national team plays.

A classic and modern stadium.

This stadium, the largest in Turkey, used to be the home of Istanbul Basaksehir and also Galatasaray and Besiktas, albeit occasionally. It is also used for large events, such as recitals, or for other sports such as athletics thanks to its track approved by the IOC (International Olympic Committee). And this time, the third time will be the charm. Ataturk had been waiting for a while to host a Champions League final again. It was going to be the venue for the 2020 edition but due to the pandemic it was moved to Lisbon. The same thing happened for 2021: the place was changed again and the final was played in Portugal. As in 2005, there will be an Italian team on one side and an English team on the other. Will it be the miracle of Istanbul part II? Place your bets.

Source images: UEFA Champions League.