• English fans party in Istanbul • ‘I’ll pay £1,000 for a ticket’
Manchester City may be the fans’ favourite to win the prestigious UEFA Champions League today, but Italian giants, Inter Milan, says they are fully prepared for the battle of Istanbul.
Thousands of Manchester City fans are already in the Turkish city, Istanbul, partying as the club attempts to clinch a historic Treble today
Though, Italian Clubs have lost two out of two European Club finals in the last one week, Inter Milan say today’s clash against Manchester City will be different.
Edin Dzeko has called on his Inter team-mates to give “more than 100 percent” if they are to beat Manchester City today.
Speaking exclusively to BT Sport, Dzeko, who spent five years at City from 2011 to 2016, and played a key role in two Premier League title wins, declared how determined he is to make the most of his shot at lifting the trophy.
City come into the game on the brink of history as they look to win Europe’s top prize for the first time, as well as potentially completing the treble having won the Premier League and FA Cup already this season.
Twenty thousand English fans have tickets for the game though Manchester City, with a similar number going to Italy’s Inter Milan but around 5,000 ticketless Blues supporters are expected to make the trip.
Flights from Manchester, Stansted and Heathrow were touching down every hour at the main airport in Istanbul, which is around an hour from the city centre – but the appalling traffic can make the journey twice as long.
Once in the city, many English fans headed for the bars around Istanbul’s famous Taksim Square where a pint of beer costs just £1.30 and by lunchtime yesterday, the party was well underway as supporters sang and chanted for manager Pep Guardiola and his team.
The game will be played at the Ataturk Olympic stadium, which is 90 minutes from the centre and fans have been advised to be at the ground seven hours before kick-off with extensive ticket checks in place.
UEFA officials are keen to avoid a repeat of last year’s fiasco, where Liverpool fans were held back and tear gassed by overzealous French police after being funnelled into potentially lethal bottlenecks.
Kick off against Real Madrid was held up for 37 minutes with UEFA and French authorities outrageously blaming Liverpool fans before eventually coming clean and later admitting their fault and apologising.
Hundreds of police have been put on standby for today’s match, which will kick off at 10pm local time, and two fan parks for tickets holders of City and Inter Milan have been set up ten minutes from the ground to provide entertainment.
Officials have advised fans to use public transport of shuttle buses, which will run from the Yenikapi area of Istanbul on the southern edge of the city on the European side of Istanbul, which also straddles Asia.
Inter fans have been advised to use the hub at Taksim Square – which could make it a potential flashpoint as this is where the vast majority of bars and cafes are and it was also where two Leeds United fans were murdered in 2000.
Officials are confident they can keep the peace and neither set of fans has any real history of trouble making but a police source said: ‘We are ready and prepared and anyone looking to cause problems will be dealt with swiftly.’
Several fans were also supported carrying signs reading ‘Tickets wanted’ and when MailOnline approached one he said: ‘l’m prepared to pay up to £1,000 for a ticket – even if it’s the Inter Milan end I don’t care. This is history, I have to be there.’
In a bar further down the road were father and son Gavin and Lucas Cuppello, from Flixton Manchester, who were enjoying a pint of beer while waiting to check into their hotel.
Truck driver Gavin said: ‘I’ve got an Italian dad but I’m City through and through, been supporting them all my life and this is massive for us. It’s great to be here with my son and I’m sure we will win it.
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