The UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour presented by UniCredit – parent company of the HypoVereinsbank – starts today in Berlin. Football fans and the general public alike will be able to have a close-up look at the world of the UEFA Champions League until the 22nd of September.

The most coveted of the European football trophies arrived in the German capital aboard a balcony bus decked out in the colours of the UEFA Champions League sponsor, UniCredit.

The new concept for the tour will make the trophy more visible by displaying it on a replica “celebration balcony“. This means even passers-by will be able to catch a glimpse of the trophy. By placing the trophy on the “celebration balcony,” visitors will also have the chance to feel like one of the champions themselves.

For three days, football fans will be able to experience up close the world of the UEFA Champions League. A personal pass will give visitors an interactive experience of the “UniCredit Walk of Champions” exhibition. Next to a variety of interactive games, visitors will also be able to enjoy unique and valuable memorabilia from the long history of the European master’s trophy on an interactive basis. Above all, fans will be able to have their picture taken with the UEFA Champions League trophy free of charge.

During all three days of the event, world-class stars from the field of football and sports (including Giovane Elber, Thomas Helmer, Regina Halmich and Reiner Calmund) will be available for panel discussions and autograph sessions. The “UniCredit Walk of Champions” will open today, Friday, starting at 3pm and continuing on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm (the same hours apply for the photo sessions). Registration is recommended and admission is free.

Representatives from HypoVereinsbank, UEFA, and the Berlin Senate, as well as Fabio Capello, Official UniCredit Ambassador for the UEFA Champions League, and UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour Ambassador, Karl-Heinz Riedle, will open the event with a press conference at the Friedrichstrasse station at noon today.

Lutz Diederichs, board member at HypoVereinsbank: “The sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League by our parent company, UniCredit, has so far been a great success, also for HypoVereinsbank’s market presence. The UniCredit and HypoVereinsbank brands are both represented at the matches in Germany, in the stadium as well as on TV. And with the Trophy Tour, we’re able to bring the original UEFA Champions League trophy to Berlin for the first time ever while offering Berliners an interesting programme of activities during all three days of the event. The event held in Munich three years ago was also a complete success, attracting some 26,000 visitors – and we all know who won the trophy this year, of course. Perhaps that’s a good omen for Hertha BSC or one of the other German teams for the Final".

Frank Henkel, Mayor of Berlin and Senator for Interior Affairs and Sports: “We are delighted to be the only German city playing host to this year’s UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour, and to be able to show yet again the level of enthusiasm for sports in the city. The best teams of Europe still have a long way until one of them can bring home the trophy. Therefore, it’s even more special for Berlin to be able to celebrate with the original trophy and to offer such a great programme already at this stage. For all of Berlin’s football fans, this is a fantastic opportunity to catch a first whiff of the 2015 Final air”.

Fabio Capello, Official UniCredit Ambassador for the UEFA Champions League: “UniCredit has created an amazing event around the spirit of the UEFA Champions League and it is a pleasure for me to be part of this year’s UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour. Lifting the trophy up into the air was stirring. Sharing this feeling of excitement and joy with fans from all over Europe during this Tour is a wonderful experience and a great possibility to thank the fans for their support and dedication.”

David Taylor, CEO for UEFA Events SA: “The UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour presented by UniCredit is one of our flagship initiatives designed to bring the fans closer to the competition and this famous piece of silverware. While millions of fans watch the UEFA Champions League on television or at the stadiums, only a lucky few get the chance to see the trophy in real life. Thanks to UniCredit, many more will have the opportunity to be part of the UEFA Champions League and I am sure they will be thrilled with this year’s event.”

The UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour has become a great asset for UniCredit to engage with fans over the years. Until now, the Tour has visited a total of 13 different European countries, putting back 10,500 km to reach over 480,000 fans and to give them the exceptional opportunity of taking over 116,000 pictures with the iconic trophy.

After Berlin, the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour presented by UniCredit will make its way to 4 other European countries:

Budapest/ Hungary: 27th-29th September

Bucharest/ Romania: 04th-06th October

Sarajevo/ Bosnia-Herzegovina: 11th-13th October

Sofia/ Bulgaria: 18th-20th October

For more information about the official sponsorship, please go to www.unicredit.eu/champions .

Access to pictures from the press conference can be found on www.portablepast.com (Client-Database)

User: press2013

Password: unicredit2013

UniCredit

UniCredit is a leading European commercial bank with strong roots in 20 countries. Our overall global network embraces approximately 50 markets with nearly 9,200 branches and more than 152,000 employees (as of 30 April 2013).

In the CEE Region, UniCredit runs the largest and most diversified international banking network with more than 3,600 branches (Poland included).

The Group operates in Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine (as of 30 April 2013).

More information for clients:

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