Manchester City and Inter Milan fans attending tonight’s Champions League final are facing an evening of transport chaos with supporters’ groups warning of long delays to simply board one of the free shuttle buses laid on by UEFA and some fans seen running on a busy motorway.
The governing body had asked matchgoers to start making their way to the Ataturk Stadium nine hours before kick off because of limited public transport and the 72,000-capacity arena being accessible via only one road. And at the end of their arduous journeys, fans are now facing long waits to get past security checks.
With four hours to go before Pep Guardiola’s team attempt to become the second English club side to complete a treble, some City fans were seen jumping out of taxis and running down a gridlocked road to reach the stadium, which is more than 15 miles from the city centre.
Meanwhile, a huge fire in a building about a mile east of the Ataturk has sent huge clouds of black smoke towards the stadium.
Both clubs have been given a fan zone outside the stadium serving food and beer in an attempt for them to be enticed to the area in plenty of time. The atmosphere among both sets of fans has been good natured in the lead up to the game, with City fans congregating on a laneway packed with cheap bars near Taksim Square.
But upon arrival at the stadium they will be met with three security checks and a heavy police presence and that has led to further delays.
Mirror
