Atletico Madrid have confirmed that it has finally transferred all of the ashes of fans interred at their former Vicente Calderon stadium to their new Wanda Metropolitano home.
The Rojiblancos became the first Spanish club to officially house the remains of its fans, when a company called Giem Sports helped create a room for urns under what was the south stand of the Calderon. Giem described themselves as pioneers "in the international funeral sector", offering "soccer fans the opportunity to have their ashes housed in the stadium."
Barcelona, Real Betis and Espanyol have also installed similar facilities with the aide of Giem. In 2016, Giem went into administration, and its former owner Santiago Bach was accused of fraud.
A 600sq metre space had room for 2,490 niches to house urns of Atleti superfans, who wished to remain close to the club after their passing.
The price of a niche would range from €1,500 to €4,000, depending on whether there were one, two or three urns housed within. Urns could be housed for up to 50-years behind a ceramic wall covered in pictures of club legends.
According to El Pais, the scheme did not prove as popular as first thought. 2012 figures from Spanish news agency EFE claimed that only 30 urns were housed in the facility, with 120 more niches reserved.
Atletico moved out of the Calderon and into the Wanda Metropolitano in 2017, playing their first game there against Malaga with King Felipe VI in attendance.
The ashes of those who wished to take up the scheme remained in the Calderon for the first year of the Wanda Metropolitano's existence. Demolition of the Calderon got underway earlier this year, with the land rezoned and to be transformed into a residential area.
But the club hierarchy have now confirmed that all remaining urns have made their final final journey across town to their new resting place.
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