CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: UEFA Sends Warning to Ticketless United Fans
Copyright � 1999 Nando Media
Copyright � 1999 Agence France-Presse
GENEVA, Switzerland (April 13, 1999 12:02 p.m. EDT http://www.sportserver.com) - UEFA warned Manchester United fans on Tuesday not to travel to Turin for next week's sold-out European Cup semifinal second leg against Juventus unless they had a ticket.
UEFA, eager to avoid a repeat of what it described as a "chaotic situation" when United fans turned up without tickets for the quarterfinal against Inter Milan, said United had been allocated 6,000 tickets for the match against Juventus.
"This and other measures have been agreed following investigations into the chaotic ticket situation at the quarter-final match in Milan," said UEFA.
United was allocated less than 4,000 tickets for the Inter game and with many trying to buy tickets on the black market UEFA admitted a "difficult situation" arose for the security forces.
All the tickets allocated to the English club bear the stamp "Manchester United supporters" and blockades will be erected around the Stadio Delle Alpi making it impossible for spectators without tickets to get near the stadium.
UEFA said: "We are sending this message as an urgent appeal to Manchester United supporters to refrain from traveling to Turin without tickets. To do so will simply be a waste of money, as all tickets have now been sold."
The tie is balanced at 1-1 after the first leg at Old Trafford last week. The winner will meet either Bayern Munich or Dynamo Kiev in the European Cup Final in Barcelona on May 26.
