By Samindra Kunti
May 22 – More than 2,000 Real Madrid fans have been forced to return their tickets for Saturday’s Champions League final in Kiev over logistics and sky-rocketing expenses. Ticket touts have ramped up ticket prices ahead of the showpiece game of the European club season, asking up to £14,000 for ticket.
Kiev, the Ukrainian capital and host city for the 2018 Champions League final between European champions Real Madrid and Liverpool, has become a nightmare destination for fans, media and sponsors with huge prices across the board, from flights to hotel rates and ticket prices.
The logistical complications have deterred fans from making the journey at all. A total of 24,268 Madrid season-ticket holders entered the ballot to secure one of the 12,802 tickets made available for the club for the final. The number of applications was significantly down from last year’s final in Cardiff when more than 40,000 ‘Madridistas’ applied to see the showdown with Italian champions Juventus.
About 2,200 Madrid fans have, however, returned their tickets to the club, citing logistics as their reason to not travel. A total of 1,783 miles separates Madrid and Kyiv. Spanish fans attempting to drive to Kyiv face a journey of 34 hours.
Liverpool fans’ route to Kyiv is just as complicated. As soon as Jurgen Klopp’s men confirmed their place in the final – following a 4-2 defeat in Roma, but a 7-3 aggregate victory – Liverpool’s fan base planned a massive invasion of Kiev. Some Reds fans have plotted routes to Kiev via Poland, with Lublin, Warsaw and Krakow popular destinations for connecting flights. The Belarusian capital Minsk has also become a gateway to Kiev, with fans continuing their journey over land.
Liverpool sold out their allocation of 16,626 tickets, but those without official tickets have sought other avenues to find their way into the match.
The black market has flourished. Liverpool’s official ticket prices ranged from £61 to £394, but online tickets are offered at up to £14,000 on Ticketbis. On Ebay, tickets are selling for £1,000 and more.
Capacity for the match at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev will be 63,000. A total of 33,252 tickets were allocated to both finalists, 6,700 tickets went on sale to supporters worldwide via UEFA’s website. The remaining 23,000 tickets were distributed to hospitality, rights holders, and commercial partners.
Ticketing is not the only concern for fans. They have faced soaring airfares and hotel rates, with return flights to the host city easily costing more than £1,000. Via Facebook, local residents in Kiev have come to the rescue, offering free accommodation for visiting fans.
The final will be played on Saturday with Real Madrid seeking to defend their European crown against Liverpool. The Spanish are looking to win the European Cup for a third time in a row.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1713911503labto1713911503ofdlr1713911503owedi1713911503sni@i1713911503tnuk.1713911503ardni1713911503mas1713911503