My experience was definitely not as bad as some but there were issues.
We ( my daughter and me) were sightseeing on the morning of the game and the others in our group had booked a shuttle bus from Kadikoy to the fan park at the ground , not the Yenikapi one we were headed to.
A few hundred yards from the Yenikapi park we encountered friends walking the other way describing carnage in the park and huge queues for the buses. They had a taxi booked . We made a quick decision to take the Metro . An inspired choice obviously as it was pretty seamless despite the two changes to get to the ground . We had to show tickets at the stadium station where we were kettled through a single gate . This would’ve been far worse as it got closer to the kick off time . Pretty poor all told .
We walked through the Inter fans and another ticket check without issues and made our way to the Fan park where my mates were waiting . This bit, for me personally , wasn’t too bad despite the ludicrous pricing . The staff were constantly offering the tip jar up tome but my contactless card wouldn’t work for some reason ;)
Anyway, no real dramas here for a while until it became apparent that our bar was the only one left that had beer meaning all the other City fans came over . One member of staff then started offering cans for cash at €10 each . I got five and game him €10 for the lot . The wanker.
Left to get to the stadium and once again we were being kettled through the TV vans to a pavement near Entrance R that was already overflowing . The crowd getting in to R grew until there was no movement on the pavement whatsoever and people were beginning to push from behind us . A few tried to climb the fences on to the road that was used to shuttle the UEFA Wankers and were unceremoniously chased and pushed back by the Police, who did absolutely fuck all else to stop the crushing.
Eventually, they had to shift the barriers and City fans poured on to the road and around the stadium . It must’ve been a shock to the guy in the blacked out Mercedes with security guards running alongside the car when City fans started banging on his car windows asking him to get out . Could’ve got messy here as the security were plain clothes and definitely armed. Luckily , the car got through and we continued round .
Went to the ground, watched us win the treble, got my new seat scars and left.
This is when I made the mistake of going to meet my mates who had the shuttle bus booked to take us back . I wanted to get the Metro but was advised it’d be easier . I don’t need to add to the stories of carnage in that car park but the taxi driver had made the mistake of travelling right in, meaning we were almost at the back of the queue . Two and a half hours getting on to the road and an hour back to the hotel . What I did notice was the lack of celebration from any City fan . You’d have thought we’d been beaten although with the conditions, this was understandable.
Watching folk in that car park still makes me sick now. Not just the folk in wheelchairs, but anyone with walking difficulties, anyone with children, anyone in large groups etc etc. It was an absolute shitshow and I can only hope that UEFA are brought to book for it .
Istanbul was amazing , we never felt threatened, weren’t ripped off ( thanks to kerem btw) and had great interaction with many locals . I’d go back in a heartbeat .
Fuck UEFA though .
can’t wait to boo the cunts anthem even louder next season .
