Leonardo, the football director at Paris St. Germain since 2011 was quoted in the Blizzard (issue four, p. 52) that Paris is THE only European capital that has not won the European Cup, i.e. the Champions League. Neither has any team from Berlin or Prague or Roma won this particular trophy but these cities are apparently not in Europe, according to Leonardo. In football terms Madrid, Milan and Manchester rule Europe. Where is Berlin and where is Paris?

Either Leonardo has no idea which cities are in Europe or he simply exaggerated to illustrate his point. Rome, Moscow, Paris, Berlin, Warsaw, Prague and Budapest are all European capitals without a European Cup, i.e. Champions League. This is a closer look at London, Berlin and Paris. Leonardo’s conception of Europe might be a different one but he has been accustomed to the continent for more than ten years now to avoid such a mistake. To claim that all other capitals are no major capitals speaks of arrogance and ignorance.

London: Top Class Football, Few Trophies

After 2011 Wembley Stadium will see another Champions League Final in 2013 which is also a ceremony to celebrate the 150th birthday of the Football Association (The FA). Only as recently as 2012 Chelsea, a London based club have won the Champions League, making this a first for the British capital.