The Nightmare of Champions League Final: A First-Hand Account
Kaveh Solhekol's article sheds light on the dire conditions faced by Champions League final attendees From lack of water to poor provisions and transportation, UEFA must prioritize the safety and enjoyment of supporters when selecting host stadiums
The city of Istanbul boasts stunning aesthetics, with Turkey's lively fan culture and impressive stadiums. However, the Ataturk Stadium was not an ideal choice for the Champions League final, as it did not meet the necessary standards. Unfortunately, this resulted in yet another disorganized event.
While Manchester City's treble win was a major headline, there was another, less positive, story brewing beneath the surface. The vast majority of supporters had a miserable experience, despite the excitement of the evening for City fans. In fact, many will recall the issues that arose during the event.
Attending a Champions League final as a fan should be an exciting and memorable experience, but unfortunately, many have found it to be quite the opposite. Despite spending large amounts of money, fans often face poor organization and little consideration from UEFA. Instead of being valued for their contribution to the atmosphere, they are simply seen as props to enhance the television broadcast. All in all, it is a disappointing and frustrating ordeal for those who have invested so much time and money into the event.
UEFA have to think about the supporters. The supporters' safety, wellbeing and enjoyment have to be considered.
Why was it such a miserable experience?
To accommodate the influx of fans, Man City advised against using taxis or the metro and instead suggested utilizing shuttle buses to access the stadium, located 12 miles outside of the city centre. However, due to the sheer volume of people, waits of up to two hours were reported just to board the buses. Furthermore, passengers were not permitted to bring water onboard, which only added to the discomfort of the long wait. Once on the bus, a 20-minute journey could easily turn into a three-hour ordeal due to heavy traffic.
As buses discharged their passengers onto the motorway, people could be seen walking with apparent distress. Upon arrival at the stadium, the supposed fan zone turned out to be a mere handful of concessions and limited restroom facilities. Queues snaked for up to 90 minutes, both for refreshments and restroom use.
Upon exiting the stadium at 1am, fans were faced with excessively long lines for the buses and heavy traffic congestion, causing significant delays.
Despite their status as VIPs, individuals were unable to escape the traffic and some resorted to paying exorbitant fees of up to £200 for taxis that would typically cost £20. The lack of provisions for food and drink by UEFA was also a source of frustration for many. This is due to the strict control of corporate sponsors who limit the sale of beverages to only their own products, leaving fans with no alternative options.
The limited options for food, drinks, and restrooms are a major concern. It seems that UEFA has not made significant improvements in this aspect despite claiming to do so every year. As a result, attending a Champions League final has become unappealing to me, and I am not alone in this sentiment. Many City supporters have also opted out of attending due to unfavorable experiences shared by Liverpool fans who attended the Paris final.
However, we cannot solely rely on external factors to ensure success. It's important for our team to remain focused and continue to work hard towards our goals, both on and off the field.
UEFA have been contacted for comment.
