Thefreekick.com CSC trip to Milan

Anyone intending on travelling to Milan as part of thefreekick.com group needs to get me a scanned copy of their passport by this evening. Also I’ll need the money for the tickets by tomorrow (Bandage you’re excluded because I’ll net against my payment to you for Glasgow tickets).

is it too late??

Well the public sale in Milan was suspended but there’s talk of re-opening it today or tomorrow. I think with Irish passports we’re in a better position than Scots in that we can just play at being tourists on the day.

There was talk on Real Radio in Scotland this morning of 4,000 extra tickets being received by the club.

You’re the only one who hasn’t sent me a passport yet Raven.

Raven - all the other passports are in Milan ready to go. What’s the timeframe on yours?

Thanks for that Raven - passports are all in Milan and have all been received. We’re trying for tickets in the green section just below the Celtic fans. (230-238 in map below; Celtic section is 301-306 I think)

Public sale is back on according to official Milan site:

MILAN-CELTIC: TICKETS ON SALE
2/26/2007
MILAN - All Rossoneri fans can now buy tickets for the first and second tier for Milan’s Champions League tie with Celtic on March 7 at 20.45. Tickets are on sale at New Milan Point in Milan, Intesa San Paolo bank branches and all authorised outlets.

Map of stadium:

[img width=500 height=401]http://media2.acmilan.com/200606/3386_big.jpg

Right I can’t see the above picture in work - where are areas 21 and 22? Can someone let me know ASAP.

He had 2 problems buying the tickets:

  1. Areas 21 and 22 were the best they could give him. So he’s trying another agency first and if he has no luck there he’ll go bank to the bank and buy there. From what you’re saying it should be fine though.

  2. They wouldn’t accept credit cards - he needed to pay in cash and he has none. I’ve transferred money to his account but he’s AIB and I’m BOI so it will take a few days. Anyone with an AIB account care to intervene?

I’m AIB but I don’t have any money.

I know a guy who owes me a shit load though.

Are you AIB as well? Crap if I’d paid you back before we’d be sorted now. I’ve prioritised getting money to Milan over getting money to you. Hope you’re not hurt by that. I’ll make the payment to you this evening. I actually have money transferring from TSB to BOI at the moment, pretty much all my money in the world, and I’m screwed until it comes through at the other end because it left my TSB account last week.

Right the money issue has been sorted - no thanks to Raven or Bandage - and the tickets will be purchased this evening for the middle tier or the lowest tier. He tried to get tickets for the top tier saying we were Celtic fans and they tried to get them for him, but they were sold out (unsurprisingly) so we’ll have tickets for that end from this evening - with our names on them.

Good work.

It was embarrassing to see you panic in the earlier posts though.

It does include Tipper.

Bold Robert Emmet’s dead and gone - it’s with O’Leary in the grave. It’s the dot com age now Raven.

I still have outside hopes of Celtic end tickets from my investor source too but he’s keeping a very low profile now.

I presume you have to buy a season ticket in the “investors’ suite” to get any ticketing advantage from the shares.

6 tickets have been purchased for section 22 in the above stadium map. 39 euro each. They have our correct names on them. Me, Raven, Bandage, Tipper, Hippy, Ois

Away area only for Celts
Newsroom Staff

TODAY Umberto Gandini, the Organising Director of AC Milan made the following comment in response to articles in the Scottish Media:

"It is absolutely crucial that Celtic fans only obtain tickets for the areas of the stadium allocated to visiting support and do not attempt to enter parts of the San Siro occupied by home fans.

"Celtic supporters will be refused entry to areas of the stadium, which have been designated for the home support.

"The Milan police have made it clear that spectators will be asked to produce photo identity to gain entry to the stadium. This will be in place and is intended to ensure that the agreed segregation of fans is strictly followed.

"We look forward to welcoming Celtic fans in Milan but would ask all supporters to adhere to the advice given in the interests of safety.

Kenny Scott, Chief Superintendent of Strathclyde Police added: "Strathclyde Police would like to advise supporters of Celtic Football Club intending to travel to Italy next week for the UEFA Champions League Match between A C Milan and Celtic that only supporters in possession of tickets for the official Celtic Section of the stadium are guaranteed entry.

"Following on from a meeting involving AC Milan, Celtic Football Club and Strathclyde Police in Italy last week it is clear that the intention of the Italian authorities is to carry out identity checks on all supporters attempting to enter the stadium.

A two tier security check at the perimeter of the stadium will facilitate this. It is a condition of entry to Italian stadia that evidence of identity must be produced on request.

In the case of the match next week such evidence of identity may require proof of nationality. Despite information in the press from Travel Agents who have supplied tickets for other areas of the stadium than the official Celtic area it is the clear understanding of Strathclyde Police that the above checks will take place and that entry will be refused as stated.

Whilst there is no doubt that such statements have been made in the past and have not been followed through there is clearly a strong desire on the part of Italian authorities to improve access procedures in light of events in Sicily at the Cattania v US Palermo match and the subsequent introduction of new football related legislation.

The advice of Strathclyde Police to persons intending to travel to the match with tickets for other sections of the San Siro stadium than the official Celtic area is that they should not attempt to attend the match".

Yeah I think that’s the way to go. Go in looking Milanese and then suss it out once inside.

The other possibility is to dress neutral but wander up to the Celtic end with a ticket for the tier below and just play the fool and try and get into the Celtic end by mistake if the tickets are similar. In the event that you’re redirected to a Milan end then just act more Italian at that turnstyle.

Define ‘go in looking Milanese’!

Grow some stubble, nip into chartbusters to top up on the tan, don’t get the hair cut.

Anything else?

Leg one of the trip complete - myself and Bandage are in Heathrow safe and sound. Plenty of hoops about so far.

Sending you a PM

Rocko. bought a huge bottle of water in WH Smith, then walked through security where his bag was held back.

A speedy search was undertaken by staff who enquired as to whether he had any liquids in his hand luggage.

‘No’, replied rocko.

‘Well, what do you call this?’, answered the nice lady holding up the offending bottle.

You can make mistakes like that in the SPL but you won’t get away with it in Europe.