There will almost definitely be empty seats at the Champions League final
That is not a sentence which you would ever really expect to hear, but it may well be the case this year after it was revealed that Liverpool fans are being prevented from purchasing tickets for empty seats at the NSC Olimpiyskiy in Kiev.
It was reported by The Times that as many as 2,000 tickets were returned by Real Madrid fans concerned with accommodation and the logistics of travelling to and from the Ukrainian capital.
Liverpool officials are believed to have contacted UEFA over the possibility of allowing their fans to snap up the unused tickets, but a combination of time constraints and concerns over both sets of fans potentially being sat together, has meant that it isn’t possible.
While both clubs were given an allocation of more than 16,000 tickets, not all supporters were successful, leading some to use alternative methods – such as unofficial ticketing sites – to make their way to the stadium.
This is an important issue for fans. What if they buy but can’t actually get there https://t.co/qv7DuVC46S
— Spirit of Shankly (@spiritofshankly) May 13, 2018
The problem of ticket pricing is just one of many that Liverpool supporters have faced ahead of the final at the weekend, with the altered price of accommodation in particular an issue many are facing.
Not many hotels left for Liverpool or Real Madrid fans in Kiev on the night of the CL final within 30 miles of Kiev. These are the only 3 on one price comparison website pic.twitter.com/GeUN2M5V76
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) May 2, 2018
Ukrainian police will welcome Liverpool and Real Madrid fans with their faces painted their team colours to make them feel welcome for Saturday's Champions League final in Kiev. Dingy hotels still cost several thousand euros a night, though. pic.twitter.com/d2PeogLoLu
— Dmitry Zaks (@dmitryzaksAFP) May 21, 2018