Liverpool get frenzied airport reception

Liverpool’s players arrived in Istanbul tonight for Wednesday’s Champions League final against AC Milan to a frenzied reception at the airport.

Police linked arms to escort the team through a throng of fans and camera crews. Supporters pressed forward, taking pictures and shouting encouragement as the players were shepherded across the concourse by dozens of officers.

A few minutes earlier, large numbers of Reds fans arrived on a flight from Cologne, Germany.

Andrew Frost, 40, a season ticket holder from Southwell, Nottinghamshire, said: “I think we’re going to win, 2-1.

“I am here with other season ticket holders, and we’ve got our tickets through the club.”

Asked about security fears that have been raised, he said: “I think it will be peaceful. We came here to play Galatasaray a few years ago and there was no trouble.”

Mr Frost's view was reinforced by a Turkish businessman at the airport.

Tarik Demir, 32, who lives in Istanbul and supports Galatasaray and Milan, said: “I don’t think there will be any trouble. People here are very fond of Liverpool, and have been since the 1970s.”

Referring to the killing of two Leeds fans in the city five years ago, he said: “The Turkish people are very, very sorry about what happened. It seems to have been a fight that got out of control.

“We are very welcoming to everybody, and the Turkish people really do not mind who wins, Liverpool or Milan.”

Fans who saw the players arrive included brother and sister from Cape Town, South Africa, Reaaz and Fayrooz Ahmed.

Reaaz, 30, a pharmacist, said: “We’ve come all the way from South Africa to see the match. We applied for tickets before the end of March through the UEFA website and were lucky enough to get them.

“I’ve seen Liverpool play live four times, and they’ve won each time, so I’m a lucky charm for them. This is going to be a dream.”

His sister, a 24-year-old law student, said: “I’ve only seen them once, but they won then too, so perhaps it’s me who’s the lucky charm.”

They expected Liverpool to win the match 1-0.

Liverpool have 20,000 tickets for the match, and it is thought that others may travel without tickets, hoping to buy them on the black market.

There have been suggestions the Turkish authorities could send fans home if they arrive without a ticket, but there was no immediate indication of this happening, or of there being a need for it to happen.

Fans did say that when they produced their match tickets, they were allowed not to pay the £10 entry visa costs.