In a major escalation of Russian security plans for the Champions League final next Wednesday, it emerged yesterday that Chelsea supporters following the match in Moscow would be corralled into holding camps for up to 10 hours to prevent fighting with Manchester United fans.
These vast areas, enclosed by fences and known in Russia as "settling tanks", will have a tight cordon of Moscow police and will not sell alcohol, while United supporters will be ferried into their own designated camps. Since most fans are expected to make the journey to and from Moscow within 24 hours to save on the exorbitant cost of hotel rooms, they are expected to gather in the camps before kick-off and to remain there until after the game.
Police are also advising the 50,000-strong travelling band not to wander beyond the camps into the streets of Moscow "for their own safety". Fans will be arriving on 300 separate flights, forcing the Russian authorities to keep them apart by channeling them through different airports United's supporters arriving mainly at Domodedovo airport, to the south of the city, while Chelsea's land principally at Vnukovo, to the south-west and in Sheremetyevo, to the north.
Major Igor Konovalov, Moscow's police chief in charge of public safety, defended the camps as "normal practice". To avert a repeat of the ticketing fiasco at the last Champions League final in Athens where a small minority of Liverpool fans were able to gain entry through forged tickets match tickets will have to be scanned at the camp entrances, making re-entry technically impossible.
To smooth the process Chelsea are believed to be hiring Russian-speaking stewards to assist their fans, while United have taken extra security measures of their own by postponing any victory parade for up to two months after the event. The move was prompted by the violent scenes in Manchester last Wednesday when Rangers fans poured into the city streets after watching their side lose the Uefa Cup final.
In a further distraction from on-pitch concerns for Chelsea, manager Avram Grant was asked by the Football Association to explain his remarks about referee Steve Bennett, whose integrity the Israeli had called into question after Manchester United's 2-0 at Wigan last Sunday earned Sir Alex Ferguson a 10th Premier League title.
- Champions League final: A guide to Moscow
- Manchester United v Chelsea: Latest news
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Chelsea, who had been level on points with United, only managed to draw at home to Bolton but Bennett was criticised by Grant for not awarding Wigan a penalty for handball and then deciding not to dismiss Paul Scholes for a second bookable offence when the midfielder fouled Wilson Palacios. Grant has until May 28 to reply.
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Abramovich digs deep
Roman Abramovich has provided Russian Chelsea supporters with 500 tickets for Wednesday's Champions League final. With black market tickets costing up to 25 times the average monthly wage in Russia, the Chelsea owner’s kind gesture is worth around £50,000. |
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