Both City and Inter need to come together as one here.
UEFA have some serious questions that need to be answered through an independent body.
Having arrived home today, I’ve tried to process the events of the last 3 days, my head is still spinning, from what I had just witnessed.
From the moment we arrived at SAW airport to departure this morning,
It’s where East meets West on an unimaginable scale, a City with the largest population in Europe, from historical beauty to Cheetham hill on steroids, a cultural melting pot, it has everything and more.
UEFA have been preparing for this event, on and off for the last 3 years, and failed miserably on every level.
Following on from last years disaster, they have learned nothing, and the fact no one was killed last night remains a minor miracle.
Everyone has a story to tell, from the misinformation of shuttle buses and metro before the game, causing widespread panic.
Following a 2 hour taxi ride to some former desolate wasteland,
watching elderly and disabled having to make a 4km hike from as close as taxis could get to the stadium, with a total lack of signage and direction for both sets of supporters, made you realise that we the foot soldiers are totally irrelevant and insignificant, to a corporate world and others that held the largest portion of available tickets.
Outside of the ticket perimeter fences consisted of total 3 portaloos with over an hour waiting time
the fanzone ran dry over 2 hour before kick off, making our way to the stadium early, through narrow temporary fencing, with trip hazards along the way.
At the food concessions inside the ground, they consisted of one guy flipping burgers, with a 90 minute long queue that also ran out of burgers 60 minutes before kick off, soft drinks charged by the centre litres, everything was designed to rip off the match going supporters with total disregard.
The events following on from the game took a downward spiral of mass confusion and non direction from any authority, police and stewards stood by and allowed the inevitable to happen,my group eventually managed to find our way on to a bus, that contravened any heath and safety rules, if indeed there are any… after 90 mins of standing still in stifling heat with no AC, people became agitated, getting off the bus to make their own way, buses were blocked from exiting whilst corporate hospitality, were allowed to get ahead of the busses.
Meanwhile some of our stragglers, elderly and wheelchairs wandered aimlessly trying to get on any transport possible.
The blame lies completely with UEFA and someone is culpable, questions need to answered.
Istanbul has so much to offer, but was let down last night by a corrupt organisation.
Having said all that, I would do it all again in a heartbeat, knowing what I know now.