Adidas give their X and ACE silos a timely makeover to mark the beginning of the Champions League Knockout Stage this week. The knockout stages are fiery and aggressive, and that's where the inspiration for the UCL adidas football boot collection lies. What's more fiery and aggressive than anything else? A friggin' dragon. That's what.

The fact that the 2017 Champions League Final is in Cardiff and the dragon print matches the national emblem on the Welsh flag is a happy coincidence for us. You shouldn't have to explain why there's a dragon on your boots. Dragons are badass. The Wales connection is the theme that flows throughout the adidas UCL product this season as the ACE 17+ Purecontrol is joined by a X 16+ Purechaos UCL Dragon boot and adidas Final Cardiff 2017 match ball.

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The Dragon Pack ACE 17+ Purecontrol boots drop under the adidas Limited Collection tag and the colourway, whilst mirroring the design of the match ball, isn't a million miles away from the previous 'Blue Blast' collection that is currently on the feet of adidas' pool of contracted ACE players. Tech wise the boot is unchanged, it's just a bit more dragony and a bit more limited edition.

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The adidas team, who travelled to Cardiff as part of the design process, drew inspiration from the power and strength the dragon represents in Celtic mythology – with the dragon print designed to represent the ferocity with which the final stages are played. Worked out well that, didn't it? One final thing, the Dragon Pack will also see full X and ACE range takeovers, meaning cage and court silos will join the on-pitch selection.

Want a pair? Get them here.