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| United supporters descend on Rome | United supporters descend on Rome |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Manchester United fans are arriving in Rome en masse ahead of the Champions League final. | Manchester United fans are arriving in Rome en masse ahead of the Champions League final. |
| About 30,000 supporters are expected in the Italian capital for the clash with FC Barcelona on Wednesday night. | About 30,000 supporters are expected in the Italian capital for the clash with FC Barcelona on Wednesday night. |
| Queues of red-shirted fans have been forming at Manchester Airport for the 33 flights departing for Rome. | Queues of red-shirted fans have been forming at Manchester Airport for the 33 flights departing for Rome. |
| Other supporters have already travelled to the city, including many without tickets. Police have warned people to beware of forgeries. | Other supporters have already travelled to the city, including many without tickets. Police have warned people to beware of forgeries. |
| Manchester Airport said it was expecting its busiest period of the year with about 20,000 fans expected to fly out to Rome over Tuesday and Wednesday. | Manchester Airport said it was expecting its busiest period of the year with about 20,000 fans expected to fly out to Rome over Tuesday and Wednesday. |
| Wrong turn | Wrong turn |
| The first flight on Wednesday departed at 0435 BST, with further services departing throughout the day. | The first flight on Wednesday departed at 0435 BST, with further services departing throughout the day. |
| However, many Reds supporters have been making the journey by road on cars, coaches and buses. | However, many Reds supporters have been making the journey by road on cars, coaches and buses. |
| Ian Stirling, of the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association, said: "Rome is so accessible, there's lots of different ways of getting here. | Ian Stirling, of the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association, said: "Rome is so accessible, there's lots of different ways of getting here. |
| "There's people driving over in horse boxes, there's people going to airports all over England and flying to anywhere in Italy to get into a car. Basically, all roads lead to Rome." | "There's people driving over in horse boxes, there's people going to airports all over England and flying to anywhere in Italy to get into a car. Basically, all roads lead to Rome." |
| You don't part with ridiculous amounts of money for something that, at the end of the day, won't necessarily get you in there name here | You don't part with ridiculous amounts of money for something that, at the end of the day, won't necessarily get you in there name here |
| One fan, staying in a makeshift campsite dubbed "Fergie Field" in honour of the club's manager Sir Alex Ferguson, said his journey took longer than anticipated after getting off the ferry in Calais and "ending up in Belgium". | |
| "The sat nav was set to miss out the toll road on the M6 but we forgot to change it back when we got to France," he told BBC News. | "The sat nav was set to miss out the toll road on the M6 but we forgot to change it back when we got to France," he told BBC News. |
| "So we took a slight detour through Belgium, Luxembourg, ended up in Strasbourg, Germany, Switzerland and then on [to Italy]." | "So we took a slight detour through Belgium, Luxembourg, ended up in Strasbourg, Germany, Switzerland and then on [to Italy]." |
| Italian authorities are also expecting up to 30,000 fans of Catalan giants FC Barcelona and say their biggest worry is the 5,000 ticketless fans expected to be in the city. | Italian authorities are also expecting up to 30,000 fans of Catalan giants FC Barcelona and say their biggest worry is the 5,000 ticketless fans expected to be in the city. |
| The credit card-style match tickets have personal information embedded in a microchip and supporters will have to produce photographic identity to confirm they are the legitimate holder. | The credit card-style match tickets have personal information embedded in a microchip and supporters will have to produce photographic identity to confirm they are the legitimate holder. |
| Forgery warning | Forgery warning |
| Supt John Graves, part of a Greater Manchester Police (GMP) delegation in the city, said: "There's going to be disappointed fans and I've no doubt, despite our best efforts, fans will still travel hoping to buy them here. | Supt John Graves, part of a Greater Manchester Police (GMP) delegation in the city, said: "There's going to be disappointed fans and I've no doubt, despite our best efforts, fans will still travel hoping to buy them here. |
| "The advice is to be really careful, really cautious, there are a lot of counterfeits out there on the streets and the prices that ticket touts are demanding are ridiculous. | "The advice is to be really careful, really cautious, there are a lot of counterfeits out there on the streets and the prices that ticket touts are demanding are ridiculous. |
| "You don't part with ridiculous amounts of money for something that, at the end of the day, won't necessarily get you in there." | "You don't part with ridiculous amounts of money for something that, at the end of the day, won't necessarily get you in there." |
| There are 12 British officers on duty in Rome, some in uniform and others in plain clothes acting as hooligan spotters. | There are 12 British officers on duty in Rome, some in uniform and others in plain clothes acting as hooligan spotters. |
| Manchester United's players flew out to Rome on Monday following the final Premier League match of the season the day before. | Manchester United's players flew out to Rome on Monday following the final Premier League match of the season the day before. |
| They are bidding to become the first team to retain the Champions League trophy. | They are bidding to become the first team to retain the Champions League trophy. |
| FC Barcelona, who also won their domestic league title, last won the top European prize in 2006. | FC Barcelona, who also won their domestic league title, last won the top European prize in 2006. |