Nothing beats being at a Champions League knockout game – the sights, the smells, the atmosphere, the songs and celebrations when the ball hits the back of the net.
But with Chelsea’s hotly-anticipated clash with old rivals Barcelona being the hottest ticket in town on Tuesday night, there were plenty of us left looking for somewhere in London to get that big match feeling.
Fortunately, Heineken came to the rescue with an invite to a special screening of the last-16 first leg. It would turn out to be a night to remember – and a close second to actually being at Stamford Bridge.
Guests are split into red and blue teams with a cup-style draw ahead of Chelsea v Barcelona
Those in attendance were also given a dressing room team talk ahead of the big kick-off
The manager high fives one guest at the Heineken event near London Bridge on Tuesday
After Sportsmail arrived at the venue near London Bridge, we were greeted by a merchandise seller who provided us with a password – #sharethedrama – which would allow us entry into the exclusive event.
Having passed this information on and promptly been let in, we were plonked in front of a camera for a quick photo and greeted by an enthusiastic host who then split guests into two teams – red and blue – with a cup-style draw complete with plastic balls.
After being chosen to be part of the blue (Chelsea) side, we were then moved into a football changing room where our manager was waiting to deliver the most passionate of team talks while our faces – and individual Champions League stats – were displayed on a big screen.
The host of the Chelsea bar welcomes guests in ahead of the first half of Chelsea v Barcelona
Visitors were able to show yellow and red cards to order food and drinks on Tuesday night
Fresh from the gaffer’s inspiring speech, we were then on to the Chelsea bar for British pub grub and what turned out to be only the first half of Chelsea’s enthralling clash with Barcelona.
After watching Antonio Conte’s men give their all for 45 minutes, a waiter launching himself through the projector screen appeared to have brought our night to a premature end.
However, the stunt actually opened an entirely separate Barcelona-themed bar on the other side and we were soon tucking into Spanish tapas and watching Flamenco dancing shortly before the game resumed.
A Barcelona-themed bar was opened up after the break, complete with Spanish dancers
The Champions League trophy was also on display ahead of its tour around the world
Fans took photos of the famous silverware following the exciting 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge
The second half turned out to be a cracker as Willian’s clever, low strike was cancelled out by Lionel Messi’s first ever goal against the Blues.
But the fun wasn’t over. After leaving the Spanish bar, we wandered back into the first room to find the real Champions League trophy sitting in front of us.
It may not have been Stamford Bridge, but this was an intriguing – and thoroughly enjoyable – way to watch the drama of the Champions League unfold.
Heineken ‘Shared The Drama’ of the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night at the Trophy Tour launch event, an immersive screening of Chelsea vs Barcelona