United chief in fans warning

Fans told not to travel without tickets or visa

Last updated: 13th May 2008

Champions League final moscow Luzhniki Stadium

Luzhniki stadium: Venue for final

Manchester United secretary Ken Ramsden has warned fans without tickets for the UEFA Champions League final not to travel to Moscow.

United and Chelsea fans have been allocated 21,000 tickets for next week's showpiece at Luzhniki stadium, but many more are expected to make the trip to Moscow.

There have been fears of overcrowding and trouble if too many fans turn up to the ground, but Ramsden is not too worried about the situation believing fans without tickets will not be able to make the trip to Moscow.

Warning

"They [fans without tickets] won't get out of Manchester airport without a ticket or a valid visa so that is a starting point," Ramsden told Sky Sports News.

"So that is a less of problem than it might have been if it was in Madrid or Rome as it is next year so that is not really an issue.

"I think the fact Moscow is so expensive and difficult to get to anyway will reduce those numbers, so I don't think that is a real concern at this moment.

"No one without a ticket will get near the stadium. The stadium is in the centre of a huge complex, a fantastic complex and the security as one would expect will be really, really high so you won't get near the ground without a ticket never mind get to the stadium."

Ramsden also warned United fans to behave in Moscow with Russian police expected to stamp down on any anti-social behaviour.

"They are different than others people should know that, so don't mess," added Ramsden.

Don't mess
"That applies wherever you go - don't mess with the authorities."

Ramsden is also confident the whole event will pass off as a major success.

"It is a European event not an English final even though there are two English teams in it," noted Ramsden.

"Moscow has worked so hard, for so long so I am sure they will put all their resources into it and it will be a success."