I wasn't going to post in this thread, however, I feel some balance appears to be needed.
Four of us arrived at the ground and wandered around the home end bars and food stalls drinking and chatting with the hone fans for about an hour.
We had absolutely no problems.
We entered the City part through the side gates before they were closed, they then formed part of the fencing from the car park to the entrance, strangely we were then asked to go back Into the carpark with the rest of the queuing City fans.
Bizarrely we had to show our passports to get in the City queue.
When the gates opened we were in the first fifty or so and apart from the fact they removed my lighter but allowed me to keep my cigarettes we had absolutely no issues at all.
It would appear to me that the Police and Stewards wanted everyone in the ground as early as possible and in Europe this is actually to be the norm and most non English fans love being in the ground hours before.
If I had not had my grandson with me I probably would have had a few more beers and been later getting into the gate.
The Police and Stewards appeared to have become more frustrated and aggressive the nearer it got to kick off.
I genuinely think that foreign Police and Stewards do not understand Englush fans and that we go to these away games mainly for a good piss up and a laugh and see the fact that some of us think it is a bit like a City home game where we can roll up just before kick off and get in the ground quickly, this happens every week at the Etihad especially in south stand where I sit.
In no way am I defending the actions of the Italian Police and Stewards but I also think some City fans need to understand that European stadiums operate in a totally different manner than English ones and our fans need to adapt a little to this as well.
I have been to loads of Citys always in Europe from the 70's and found that if you get there early and relatively sober the chances of having issues with foriegn police and steward are definitely minimized.
After the game I expected to be kept I much longer than we actually were and half expected no transport back to Milan central station but we actually arrive back I Milan just as the team bus arrived at the hotel.