10,000 fans to descend on Italy
Despite the recession, the FAI has confirmed that 10,000 Irish supporters are due to travel for the clash in the San Nicola stadium in Bari on Wednesday.
It will the first game played by Ireland in Italy since the famous Italia ‘90 World Cup quarter final in the Stadio Olimpico 19 years ago.
And in a fitting tribute to the occasion, the Italian FA has decided to make more than twice the usual 10% of the ground’s 50,000 tickets available to Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni’s growing army of supporters.
Despite the disappointment of Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Bulgaria, hopes are high that the nation’s rugby and boxing sporting success will rub off on the senior soccer squad midweek, who now sit second in the table, seven points clear of Bulgaria.
The green army is travelling for the Italy match despite a number of leading soccer travel firms, including Ray Treacy Travel, canceling one-night match packages in recent weeks because of fewer than normal numbers expressing an interest, which many have blamed on the recession.
