Real Madrid banner is unveiled at stadium

A REAL Madrid banner has been unveiled at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff ahead of the Champions League final in just over a fortnight’s time.

It is the latest unveiling in Cardiff city centre as Champions League fever continues to rise as the mammoth sporting event approaches.

Juventus will take on Gareth Bale’s Real Madrid on Saturday, June 3, at the Principality Stadium, which will be renamed the National Stadium of Wales for the event.

It will follow the Uefa Women’s Champions League final at Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday, June 1, when Lyon will face Paris Saint-Germain.

The arrival of the Real Madrid banner at Cardiff’s famous stadium is the latest in a line of changes around the city to mark the event, which will see around 200,000 football fans flock to the city.

A dragon was unveiled on top of Cardiff Castle last week, with the sculpture appearing on the ramparts alongside a replica of the trophy after being installed under the cover of darkness.

Passers-by could be seen stopping to take selfies as the city woke up with what is sure to be a popular attraction among the thousands of football fans expected in the city. Over in Westgate Street, the NCP car park has had a giant TV screen installed on the side of the building.

As part of the transformation of the city centre in readiness for the Champions League final the multi-storey car par is surrounded by a layer of scaffolding – with the TV screen sitting in the centre.

The screen, which will show content made by fans, will be surrounded by a huge 40m by 15m banner. It measures 20m by 3.6m and weighs 4,000kg.

Images of what the screen looks like have been included in a planning application to Cardiff council.

Elsewhere in the city a floating football pitch is being built in Cardiff Bay as part of the Champions League festival. The pitch will open for four days during the Champions festival which is being held in the Bay between June 1 and June 4.

While there is always a football pitch built as part of the festival this is the first floating pitch to be built.

On Friday, June 2, it will host the Ultimate Champions Match featuring footballing legends.