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Champions: the fans' party puts on a show in Istanbul

2023-06-10T13:22:58.992Z

Highlights: More than 15,850 uniformed and plainclothes police officers have been assigned by Turkey to monitor public order in central Istanbul on the day of the awaited Champions League final. "I don't think there will be any problems, the fans are a bit agitated, especially the English, but it seems to me that they are only here to have fun and not to create chaos," says Ahmet, a 65-year-old Turkish who sells traditional handicrafts. "The fact that we are underdogs makes tonight's final even more unique," says Davide Lerner.


The central Taksim Square in Istanbul has become Nerazzurri since this morning, while the side streets of the nearby pedestrian street Istiklal caddesi are covered with Manchester City flags. (ANSA)


The central Taksim Square in Istanbul has become Nerazzurri since this morning, while the side streets of the nearby pedestrian street Istiklal caddesi are covered with Manchester City flags. The Italian and British fans who in a few hours will go to the Ataturk Olympic Stadium to watch the Champions League final between Inter and Manchester City have been crowding the largest Turkish city for days and since this morning they have gathered en masse in the central districts of Istanbul where the atmosphere is festive and quiet.
More than 15,850 uniformed and plainclothes police officers have been assigned by Turkey to monitor public order in central Istanbul on the day of the awaited Champions League final. "I don't think there will be any problems, the fans are a bit agitated, especially the English, but it seems to me that they are only here to have fun and not to create chaos," says Ahmet, a 65-year-old Turkish who sells traditional handicrafts at a banquet in the city center. "There are Turks playing in both teams so tonight I will support the sport and not one of the two teams," he adds.

Milan, Champions League: the expectation of the Nerazzurri fans in Piazza Duomo


Inter supporters marched with flags and chanted around the giant replica of the cup, about ten meters high, installed since Thursday in Taksim Square.
"We are very excited and happy," says Andrea, a 31-year-old Inter fan who was in Japan for work in recent days and still managed to find a way to get to Istanbul for the final. "Yesterday I was in Tokyo, I spent 10 hours in Dubai and I managed to get to Istanbul via Sofia and taking a bus", says the Nerazzurri fan, recalling the phrase "all those kilometers I did for you" contained in one of the most famous choirs of the Milanese team. "The emotion is a lot, on paper the game is difficult but we like impossible things", says Sandra, who arrived from Sardinia, who will accompany Andrea to the stadium. "The fact that we are underdogs makes tonight's final even more unique," said Davide Lerner, a 30-year-old journalist from Milan who arrived in Istanbul for the sporting event, while sporting a scarf celebrating the match on May 22, 2010, the last time Inter won the Champions League by beating Bayern Munich 2-0.
"Today we will conquer Istanbul, there will be no game, the atmosphere is quiet for now but tonight it will become fiery," says Josh, a 22-year-old student from Manchester, while drinking a mug of beer in the side streets of the center where British fans have been gathering en masse for days and crowding the bars, shouting the slogans of their favorite team day and night and dancing over the tables.

Source: ansa

All life articles on 2023-06-10

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