Special Champions League Tournament at Estádio da Luz

BTV REPORT

The Estádio da Luz' Synthetic Pitch received, this Wednesday, February 8, the Lisbon round of the Special Champions League, an International Tournament coordinated by the European Football for Development Network (EFDN) and organized by the Benfica Foundation.

This round of the adapted football social project that promotes inclusion brings together 120 young athletes who suffer from cognitive impairment, belonging to 12 teams, from which we highlight Fundación Alcoraz, Everton in the Community, Fundación Levante, Juventus, Special Olympics Portugal, Benfica Foundation, Werder Bremen, Bayer 04, Kas Eupen, Foundation 92, NEC Nijmegen and Ajax.

Jorge Miranda, director of the Benfica Foundation, explained the importance of an event of this nature in the city of Lisbon.

"It is an important event in the field of adapted football. The Foundation has been doing more and more work in this area, but it cannot do it alone. It has been doing it with partners at the foundational level of football, a great headquarters that is the EFDN, and community funds that help pay for this. Increasingly, inclusive sport is seen as a social force", mentioned Jorge Miranda to BTV.

Vicky Conde Sancho, from European Football for Development Network (EFDN), emphasized the working partnership with the Reds' Foundation.

"It is a very special day. Thanks to the Benfica Foundation, we are holding this event with 12 team from all over Europe. It is a pleasure to work with the Benfica Foundation, all the teams are enjoying", she acknowledged.

In addition to the tournament on the Synthetic, the FanZone ceremony, with the presence of athletes and coaches of the participating teams and representatives of the partners and the tour of the Estádio da Luz, where everyone could enjoy the flight of eagle Victoria, are worth mentioning.

The next stages of this event take place in the cities of Leverkusen, Breda, and Brussels.