Liverpool fans heading for Euro final

Liverpool is bracing itself for football mania today as Reds fans prepare for their first European Cup final in 20 years.

The team play AC Milan in the final of the Champions League in Istanbul, Turkey.

Thousands of fans have already travelled to Istanbul by plane, train, ferry and even a red Hackney cab.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport’s arrivals hall was converted into a departures hall, as 20 planes were due to leave for Turkey between 4am and 10am today.

A further 22 flights, including the team plane, left the airport on Monday and Tuesday.

Fans who failed to get a ticket are expected to pack the city’s bars, pubs and clubs.

The Place bar, a favourite celebrity haunt co-owned by Liverpool legend John Aldridge, will show the match on a giant 8ft screen.

Drinkers at Yates’ Wine Lodge will be served by an all-female team, after women bar staff suggested male workers should have the night off to watch the game.

And the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall will show the action on its old fashioned cinema screen, accompanied by a live organist playing tunes including club anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone.

A Merseyside Police spokeswoman said extra officers had been drafted in to patrol the streets.

She said: “We are not anticipating trouble but there will be a much larger number of people than on a normal Wednesday night.”

Many more fans will watch the match, which is being screened on ITV1 and SKY Sports, at houses draped in red and white flags.

A party to celebrate the initiation of the city’s new Lord Mayor will take place at 8pm as planned, but will feature TV screens showing the match.

The new mayor supports Everton and has named his party menu after Toffees heroes to remind guests there is more than one great club in Liverpool.

Reds fans can also eat themed food. City centre snack bar Philpotts is offering soups including “Pea and Hamann” and “Carra and Coriander“, as well as a “Crispy Jerzy Duduck” sandwich.

Liverpool has won the European Cup four times. Its last victory was in 1984, against Roma.

In 1985 the club again made it to the final at Heysel Stadium, Brussels. They lost 1-0 to Juventus on a night overshadowed by crowd violence which led to the deaths of 39 fans, mainly Italian.