Reds fans’ heartbreak as Athens dream turns sour
Two Dublin travel agents have had to cancel fans’ flights out to the game after the Greek authorities were unable to give their planes landing slots at Athens.
And yesterday a fan told of his heartbreak after paying €750 for two tickets for the final only to find out he had fallen victim to internet conmen in Romania.
Life-long Liverpool fan Ryan Crowley, of Cork, spotted the tickets for sale on a website and wired the money to Romania after the seller got in touch by email.
But the website has now been taken down and Mr Crowley has no way of getting his €750 back or a pair of tickets for tonight’s final.
Said the fan: “I’m totally gutted as I’ve been to six Champions League games this year and not to go to this one is really annoying.
“I’ve been to the guards and everything about this but there’s nothing I can do.”
Mr Crowley had planned a €1,300 week’s break in Cyprus and was to fly from the holiday island to the Greek capital for the game.
Instead he will be watching the game in the Cork suburb of Douglas, reckoning fans will be in for a treat as Liverpool will win 1-0.
Last night the Consumers’ Association of Ireland warned fans against wiring money overseas in future as they could be conned by bogus ticket sellers.
“People let their guard go down when they spot tickets on the internet and act too quickly,” said association boss Dermott Jewell.
Cork sales representative Niall Kelleher, 32, of Mallow, was one of hundreds of fans whose plans to fly out to Athens were dashed when travel agents in Dublin had to cancel their trips over lack of landing space at the Greek airport.
But after his plight was aired on the Neil Prendeville show on Cork radio station 96FM, Mallow travel agency Joe O’Reilly Travel found the fan a flight to Athens from Dublin via Prague.
“I don’t have a ticket but I just want to be there for the atmosphere,” said Mr Kelleher. “I just can’t watch it from home and wasn’t going to miss going to Athens for anything.
“I’d be happy to watch it in a bar but I still believe it will be possible to get a ticket.”
The fan reckons Liverpool will beat the Italian side 2-0 with goals from Steven Gerrard and John Arne Riise.
About 40,000 Liverpool fans are expected to descend on Athens for the final despite the club only getting a ticket allocation of 12,000.
According to reports, Liverpool fans in Athens said finding spare tickets was next to impossible, adding they were losing hope of getting to see the match live at the Olympic Stadium.
Due to congestion at Athens airport, Ryanair last night said its departure for Athens will leave three hours 20 minutes earlier than expected today and depart at 6.10am instead.
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