400 Bilbao fans went to Budapest instead of Bucharest for Europa League final
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According to Spanish broadcaster Antena 3, the group of travelling fans boarded flights bound for the Hungarian capital, believing it to be the venue for the European showpiece match.
However, the final was in fact taking place more than 500 miles away at Arena Națională in Bucharest, Romania.
Key takeaways
- 400 Athletic Bilbao fans flew to Budapest instead of Bucharest for the Europa League final.
- The cities' similar names caused the costly travel mistake.
- Atlético Madrid won the final 3-0 as the fans missed the match.
A costly travel mix-up
The confusion reportedly arose from the similar-sounding names of the two cities.By the time the fans realised their mistake after arriving in Budapest, the match venue was far away in a completely different country.
The supporters attempted to salvage their trip by finding a way to reach Bucharest, but struggled to locate the Romanian capital on maps and ultimately failed to make it to the stadium in time for kick-off.
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Shop Featured Deals (Fast Checkout)Fans mocked inside the stadium
News of the mishap quickly spread among supporters already inside Arena Națională.In a tongue-in-cheek moment, the stadium announcer greeted the crowd by saying, "Good evening, Budapest, and welcome to the Europa League final."
The remark prompted loud laughter and jeers from the crowd.
Atlético Madrid cruise to victory
Whilst the stranded fans were dealing with their travel blunder, the match itself ended in disappointment for Athletic Bilbao.Fellow Spanish side Atlético Madrid delivered a dominant performance, securing a convincing 3-0 victory to lift the UEFA Europa League trophy.
For the misplaced Bilbao supporters, the embarrassing mistake may have at least spared them from witnessing their team's heavy defeat in person.
