Madrid - City of tapas, late nights… and Champions League evenings that rattle your spine.
For Union Saint-Gilloise, it was their first true European away flight in the UEFA Champions League group stage (following their earlier Benelux derby at PSV).
For the players: another step deeper into elite European football.
For sponsors and partners: a two-day experience that ticked every box – sport, culture, atmosphere and premium hospitality.
For way2events: a multi-layered operation, quietly engineered behind the scenes, down to the smallest detail.
Welcome to Madrid, in Champions League mode.
Five Programs, One Mission
This wasn’t your standard “team + VIPs” trip.
It was quite the logistical puzzle: five parallel tracks running at once.
• The first team, fully focused on Atlético
• The U19 squad, on their own Youth League journey
• Sponsors & partners, on a curated premium program
• Club staff
• The way2events coordination team, pulling every string
Powered by:
2 planes • 4 hotels • 7 vehicles • 5 simultaneous programs
In other words: a European challenge for specialists.
Exactly our kind of playground.
Day 1 – Touchdown, access & an evening our way
We like to set the tone fast.
As soon as the sponsor and partner delegation landed, we skipped the sightseeing and went straight to the stadium for an on-site aperitif (Champions League all around – nobody doubted why they were here).
After the apero, the group enjoyed private access to the team’s training session, allowing them a rare behind-the-scenes look at preparation on European level.
We closed the day in one of Madrid’s trendiest restaurants – the kind of place where the food is sharp, the atmosphere loud (in a good way). Just a stylish night that felt 100% Champions League.
Meanwhile: we protect the focus
While we hosted partners in the city, we kept the first team in full performance mode: chartered schedule, calm pockets to rest, private transfers, match-focused meals. We take care of the logistics so they can take care of Atlético. No noise, no friction.
The U19s ran on their own professional track: separate hotel, their own rhythm, dedicated logistics. Same level of care, different objective: to learn, grow and get a real taste of European football in top-level conditions.
Day 2 – City, icons & the big stage
We kicked off day two on two wheels, with a guided bike tour through Madrid’s parks, grand avenues, and vibrant neighborhoods. Lunch was unapologetically Spanish – local kitchen, local tempo, nothing that’s ever been near a buffet line.
In the afternoon we switched from Atlético-land to Real territory: a visit to the redesigned Santiago Bernabéu. Half museum, half spaceship these days. But above all a full statement of what modern football looks like!
And then, in the evening: the Cívitas Metropolitano. 70,000 people, the anthem, the lights – and Union on the pitch. For our group, the moment everything clicked: the club, the city, the partners, and one shared thought… “Yes. Let’s do this again.”
The Return – Smooth, Structured, Zero Stress
The morning after the match was exactly how we wanted it to be: calm.
No drama at check-out, no guesswork at the airport.
Transfers on time, departures aligned, luggage where it should be – everyone just flows home. A fitting ending to a beautifully curated European trip.
Why Union traveled with way2events (again)
Because this (unusual) trip was about keeping five programs in one story, giving the team elite focus while partners get a premium experience, and making complex logistics feel effortless.
And that’s exactly the space we love: the tiny spot where sport, hospitality and strategy meet (and where memories travel back home in hand luggage).
way2events - A bold event experience… even when the game is played far from home.
Klik hier voor een overzicht van alle tailor-made incentives ».webp)