Barça and Man City on the move - Champions League 25-26 February 2020

25 February 2020

SSC Napoli vs. FC Barcelona

Off to Italy is the great FC Barcelona with Lionel Messi, though this game may come too soon for the injured Luis Suarez. Barcelona for once and rather unusually in recent times will travel with Privilege Style, though this has actually happened in the past as well. Fan charters have been planned so far with Volotea and Vueling:

PVG1899 BCN 1600-xxxx NAP B752 (24/02/2020)
ENT593 BCN 0800-xxxx NAP B738
VY4022 BCN 0800-xxxx NAP A320

VOE9250 BCN 0930-xxxx NAP A319

VY2616 BCN 0900-xxxx NAP A320

ENT594 NAP xxxx-0220 BCN B738 (26/02/2020)

PVG1999 NAP xxxx-0225 BCN B752 (26/02/2020)
VY4025 NAP xxxx-0230 BCN A320 (26/02/2020)

VY2508 NAP xxxx-1355 BCN A320 (26/02/2020)

VOE9251 NAP xxxx-0340 BCN A319 (26/02/2020)

Chelsea FC vs. FC Bayern München

There is yet no info online how the Bayern team will travel. But there are some fan charters know already, including a Sundair A320 and a SunExpress Germany B737-800:

EDIT: The Bayern team, staff & media will travel to Munich with Lufthansa, on one of their Airbus A350-900s.

LH2570 MUC 1055-1205 LHR A359 (24/02/20)
SR8724 MUC 0800-0900 STN A320

XG3921 MUC 0900-0955 STN B738

SR8735 STN 0205-0505 MUC A320 (26/02/2020)

XG3921 STN 0320-0605 MUC B738 (26/02/2020) 
LH2571 LHR 1030-1320 MUC A359 (26/02/2020)

26 February 2020

Real Madrid vs. Manchester City

The English champions will face the Champions League record holders in Madrid first up. This occurs due to the fact that "City" won their group, while Real only finished in second place in autumn.

ENZ828 MAN xxxx-1735 MAD RJ85 G-JOTR (25/02/2020)

GNJ74 MAN 1500-1820 MAD B734 SX-ATF (25/02/2020)

LS6042 MAN 0730-1105 MAD B738

ENT585 MAN xxxx-1155 MAD B738

VY2593 MAN xxxx-1405 MAD A320

ENZ829 MAD 1530-xxxx MAN RJ85 G-JOTR (27/02/2020)

ENT586 MAD 0045-xxxx MAN B738 (27/02/2020)

LS6043 MAD 0115-0250 MAN B738 (27/02/2020)

GNJ74 MAD 1600-1720 MAN B734 SX-ATF (27/02/2020)

VY2592 MAD 1625-xxxx MAN A320 (27/02/2020)

To the knockout - Champions League 18-19 February 2020

18 February 2020

Atlético Madrid vs. Liverpool FC

The knock-out stage will begin again where it all ended with the trophy last season for Liverpool FC. Atlético Madrid's new home ground Wanda Metropolitano hosted the 2019 final between Liverpool and Spurs. As it is quite often the case actually, supporters will depart from Liverpool as well as Manchester:

MLT856 LPL 1230-1600 BCN B733 9H-ZAK (17/02/20)
BRO20 LPL 1500-1820 BCN B733 G-SWRD (17/02/20)

LS6037 MAN xxxx-1120 MAD B738
VY4203 LPL xxxx-0940 MAD A320
ENT559 LPL xxxx-1130 MAD B738
ENT555 LPL xxxx-1125 MAD B738

VY3069 LPL xxxx-1405 MAD A320

VY4116 MAD 0330-xxxx LPL A320
LS6038 MAD 0055-xxxx MAN B738
ENT560 MAD 1400-xxxx LPL B738
MLT857 MAD 1230-xxxx LPL B733
BRO020 MAD 1400-xxxx LPL B733
ENT556 MAD 1455-xxxx LPL B738

VY3068 MAD 1630-xxxx LPL A320

Borussia Dortmund vs. Paris St-Germain

The French giants travel to Dortmund, where a great atmosphere should be expected - and who knows, maybe Borussia bring their A game and make for a great spectacle in this first leg.

VLJ19BN LBG xxxx-1245 DTM E145 (17/02/20)
KLJ3274 LBG xxxx-1245 DTM B735 (17/02/20)
VY2608 CDG 0900-1000 DTM A320 (18/02/20)
5O855 CDG 0900-1000 DTM B738 (18/02/20)

VY2609 DTM 0920-1020 CDG A320 (19/02/20)
5O856 DTM 1110-1210 CDG B738 (19/02/20)

19 February 2020

Atalanta Bergamo vs. Valencia CF

Playing against Manchester City, Dinamo Zagreb and Shakhtar Donezk, Atalanta managed to proceed to the knockout stage with just seven points and notably after losing the first three matches. They will continue to play at the San Siro in Milan though, because their home ground in Bergamo is still not up to full UEFA standards:

YW2001 VLC 1700-xxxx MXP CRJX (18/02/20)

LAV5881 VLC 0900-xxxx MXP B738
VY2230 VLC 0900-xxxx MXP A320

YW2002 MXP xxxx-0325 VLC CRJX (20/02/20)
YV6235 MXP xxxx-0330 VLC A320 (20/02/20)

LAV5882 MXP xxxx-0340 VLC B738 (20/02/20)

Tottenham Hotspur FC vs. RB Leipzig

The Leipzig team will arrive at Stansted before their first ever knockout game in the Champions League, using a Titan Airways Boeing 757. Their supporters will travel early on matchday, leaving Leipzig at 07.00h already for an early arrival into Stansted as well.

ZT5031 LEJ 1300-xxxx STN B752 (18/02/20)
ENT529 LEJ 0700-xxxx STN B738
ENT530 STN xxxx-0600 LEJ B738 (20/02/20)

Rugby Champions Cup, 18-19 January 2020

18 January 2020

Lyon OU vs. Northampton Saints

The Saints have traveled to France with a chance to still make the quarterfinals as one of the three best second-placed teams in the competition. They will have to beat LOU with a try bonus point to stand a chance however.

ENZ751 BHX 1000-1250 LYS RJ1H G-JOTS (17/01/20)

ENZ992P LYS 1350-1530 BTS RJ1H G-JOTS (17/01/20, ferry flt)

ENZ752 LYS 2030-xxxx BHX BA46 (18/02/20)

Benetton Rugby vs. Leinster Rugby

Already qualified for the quarterfinals with just one bonus point gone beckoning, Leinster have traveled to Italy to face a familiar opponent in Benetton. Their flight took them to Venice however.

EI4424 DUB 1005-1345 VCE A320 EI-GAL (17/01/20)

EI4425 VCE 2000-2140 DUB A320 EI-GAL

Harlequins vs. ASM Clermont-Auvergne

The French runners-up of last season's domestic championship have assured their progress to the quarterfinals already, though they could yet fall back in the pecking order behind Ulster. A win at the Stoop near Twickenham (near Heathrow coincidentally too) would assure Clermont the group win and a better seeding position.

EUP421 CFE 1430-xxxx FAB E145 F-HBPE (17/01/20)

EUP421 FAB xxxx-xxxx CFE E145 F-HBPE (18/01/20)

Rugby Champions Cup, 10-12 January 2020

Rugby Champions Cup

The rugby equivalent of the Champions League is back upon us with round 5 of the group stages and no doubt some more teams that will qualify for the quarter finals now. Leinster already booked their place in the knock-out stages in round 4 and Exeter Chiefs, Racing 92 as well as Stade Toulousain could follow them this weekend.

10 January 2020

Atlantique Stade Rochelais vs. Sale Sharks

The English team has arrived in La Rochelle on Thursday afternoon using a Jet2 Boeing 737-800 that seems to know its way around rugby grounds. The very same G-JZHB had been used for another rugby charter in December already, taking Bath Rugby to ASM Clermont Auvergne.

LS6962 MAN 1130-1400 LRH B738 G-JZHB (09/01/20)

LS6963 LRH xxxx-1150 MAN B738 G-JZHB (11/01/20)

11 January 2020

ASM Clermont-Auvergne vs. Ulster

A clash of European heavy weights awaits the fierce crowd at the Stade Marcel-Michelin, with Ulster visiting the volcanic Auvergne from Ravenhill. Both sides are well clear of Harlequins and Bath, which means that both could actually qualify for the quarterfinals. Ulster is another team using Jet2 for their international travel this season.

LS6029 BFS 1345-1700 CFE G-JZHO(10/01/20)

LS6030 CFE 1800-xxxx BFS G-JZHO (11/01/20)

Glasgow Warriors vs. Exeter Chiefs

The English vice-champions are traveling up North to face Glasgow Warriors that is quite possibly looking at an early exit from the competition with just two wins from four matches so far and just the one bonus point on the table.

BE8001 EXT 1335-xxxx GLA (10/01/20)

Connacht vs. Stade Toulousain

The French record champions have finally found their stride this season domestically as well, despite a couple of rather surprising trip-ups against Toulon and Stade Français just recently. They will try to make sure to qualify for the quarterfinals with a win at the Sportsground in Galway, a ground that has become more difficult to travel to in recent years, with the nearby Galway airport no longer in use. Toulouse thus traveled on Thursday afternoon already, quite unusual for a Saturday game.

JQ5369 TLS 1400-1630 SNN B738 EC-NAB (09/01/20)

JQ5370 SNN xxxx-2335 TLS B738 EC-NAB (11/01/20)

Gloucester Rugby vs. Montpellier-Hérault Rugby

9V52AN MPL 1130-1400 BRS (10/01/20)

12 January 2020

Leinster Rugby vs. Lyon OU

FPO865 LYS 1330-1435 DUB B737 (11/01/20)

FPO866 DUB 1830-2130 LYS B737 (12/01/20)

Racing 92 vs. Munster

Munster is using a rather big plane for the trip from Shannon to Paris. Not sure how often a rugby team would use a Boeing 757 for a group stage game, but then again, sometimes Munster is just different.

LS6021 SNN 1040-1315 CDG B752 (11/01/20)

LS6022 CDG 2200-2235 SNN B752 (12/01/20)

Spanish Supercopa, 8-12 January 2020

Spanish Supercopa 2020

In an unprecedented event, the Spanish Supercopa will now not only feature four teams instead of just the La Liga champions and the winners of the Copa del Rey. It will also take place in Saudi Arabia for the first time, though previous editions have been played in Morocco as well, much to the dismay of notably a lot of the players involved. Adding extra games with extra travel does not seem to be in their favour, but after all, this is part of what they get paid for.

The semifinal line-up is as follows:

Wednesday 8 January 2020

Valencia CF vs. Real Madrid

Thursday 9 January 2020

FC Barcelona vs. Atlético de Madrid

And the teams travel like this:

Real Madrid

IB2800 MAD 0940-xxxx JED A359 EC-NCX (07/01/20)

IB2801 JED xxxx-1530 MAD A359 (13/01/20)

Atlético Madrid

HFM1903 MAD 1230-xxxx JED A388 9H-MIP (07/01/20)

HFM2003 JED xxxx-1615 MAD A388 9H-MIP (10/01/20)
HFM2003 JED xxxx-0500 MAD A388 9H-MIP (13/01/20)

© Ibex73 [CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]

HiFly Malta Airbus A380 9H-MIP seen at Paris Airshow 2019

FC Barcelona

SV7472 JED xxxx-1130 BCN B77W HZ-AK21 (07/01/20, ferry flt)
SV7472 BCN 1300-xxxx JED B77W HZ-AK21 (07/01/20)
SV7473 JED xxxx-1445 BCN B77W HZ-AK21 (10/01/20)

Saudia B777-300/ER HZ-AK20 seen at London-Heathrow in July 2014

Valencia CF

AXY*** VLC xxxx-xxxx JED A343 9H-BIG (06/01/20)

Extra flights:

EK2515 JED 1015-1530 MAD A388 A6-EVK (05/01/20, ferry flt)

EK2516 MAD 1725-0040(+1) JED A388 A6-EVK (06/01/20)

EK2515 JED xxxx-1400 MAD A388 (09/01/20)

EK2515 JED xxxx-0450 MAD A388 (13/01/20)

Additional information is of course always welcome, particularly for the part about Valencia CF. This post should get regular updates in the next few days as well.

Update: It appears that Valencia CF were using A340-300 9H-BIG.

Champions Hockey League Semifinals - 7 January 2020

The Champions Hockey League is coming towards the pinnacle for this season as well. No less than three teams from Sweden have made it to the penultimate stage: Djurgarden, Frölunda and Luleå.

7 January 2020

Djurgårdens IF vs. Mountfield Hradec Kralove

The Czech team is based near Pardubice, so they are leaving from there on a direct flight that will take them right to Arlanda.

ENT505 PED 1200-1355 ARN B738 SP-ESC (06/01/2020)
ENT506 ARN 0105-xxxx PED B738 SP-ESC (08/01/2020)