Unprecedented Security Preparing After Man.United-Juve Ticket Frenzy
Copyright � 1999 Nando Media
Copyright � 1999 Agence France-Presse
TURIN, Italy (April 3, 1999 2:38 p.m. EST http://www.sportserver.com) - Juventus has sold a record 21,000 tickets in a single day for their Champions League match with Manchester United and have warned British fans without tickets to stay home.
The first allocation, reserved for Juventus season ticket holders, was met with a buying frenzy on Friday and club officials expect all of the 40,000-odd holders to exercise their right to buy.
That means only 15,000 will be available to the rest of the public -- none of them though for United fans.
The Serie A champions have sent 6,000 tickets to the Premiership club and special measures have been introduced to keep the two sets of fans apart.
For the first time ever in Italy, all tickets have been printed with the name of the fans' team: "For Manchester Supporters Only" on those sent to England and "For Juventus Supporters Only" on those kept here.
Any United fan arriving at the Delle Alpi stadium here on April 21 with a Juventus ticket will not be allowed in the ground, the club said.
Gate receipts are expected to be well in excess of one million pounds.
Turin police are meanwhile in contact with their British counterparts, preparing extra tight security for a match which Italian police fear could lead to trouble.
The first leg will be played at Old Trafford next Wednesday.
Juventus is resting French midfielder Zinedine Zidane and Uruguayan defender Paolo Montero for Saturday's game against Empoli in the hope that both will recovery from injury in time for the clash with United.
Injured Juve star Alessandro Del Piero will also make the trip to Manchester, but only to give his teammates moral support.
