Alicia Keys will perform at the opening ceremony of this season’s Champions League final, Uefa has announced.
The showpiece event will take place at Milan’s San Siro stadium on 28 May and will feature live musical performances for the first time ever as part of revamped running order.
Organisers say emphasis will also be put on design and fashion, along with world-class music, in an ode to the host city.
The pre-match show will be aired in more than 220 countries and is set to be watched by an estimated audience of 180 million people around the world.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
Award-winning singer-songwriter @aliciakeys will perform at the #UCLfinal opening ceremony! #UCL pic.twitter.com/LhtHSk3uar— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 27, 2016
“I’m extremely excited to share my new music at the UEFA Champions League final, an event that is celebrated in every corner of the world,” said Keys.
“This is going to be a powerful moment in history and one that represents the spirit of all the similarities we share no matter where we live and who we are.
“I’m honoured to be a special part of such a beloved experience.”
The 35-year-old also posted a message on her official Twitter account with the caption “Ciao, MILANO!!!”
UEFA’s marketing director, Guy-Laurent Epstein, said: “The UEFA Champions League final is the ultimate stage in European club football, bringing together the two best teams on the continent.
“With such a highly respected and truly global artist performing ahead of the final, it heightens even further the appeal of the match and consequently will reach a broader audience demographic.”
Manchester City are the only English side left in the competition and their semi-final is delicately poised ahead of a trip to face Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid boast a slender advantage over Bayern Munich thanks to Saul Niguez’s individual strike on Wednesday night.
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