In just under five months, the Champions League final will take place in the Hungarian capital Budapest. Adidas has now unveiled the official match ball for the final.
Even though the Champions League play-offs are set to begin in mid-February – with Bundesliga clubs Dortmund (against Atalanta) and Leverkusen (against Olympiacos Piraeus) among those in action – the final at the Puskas Arena in Budapest is already looming large. The final of Europe’s premier club competition will take place in the Hungarian capital on May 30.
On Monday, sportswear manufacturer Adidas, which has been supplying the leather ball for the Champions League final for 25 years, presented the official match ball. The Herzogenaurach-based manufacturer based the design on the identity of the metropolis of Budapest. The ball “reflects the contrast and harmony that characterizes the city,” according to a press release.
“At the heart of the ball’s design is a purple metallic base color, enhanced by a pigment finish that changes its nuances depending on the light, angle of view, and movement. The graphic design is inspired by Budapest’s characteristic Art Nouveau architecture,“ the company added: ”Flowing textures and bright accents are intended to evoke the rivers, bridges, and night-lit streets of this cosmopolitan city.” As a tribute to local symbols, the lion and dragon motifs typical of Budapest have also been integrated into the graphics of the panels. The ball will be used from the knockout stages of the Champions League, which start on February 17.
