LIVERPOOL: Liverpool FC announced on Friday that it will fully refund their supporters the money they spent on match tickets for the UEFA Champions League final where The Reds take on LaLiga giants Real Madrid later Saturday at the Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex in Kiev.
The match had been surrounded by much controversy. Three flights, ET8700, ET8704, ET8706 which were to take them to Kiev, were cancelled nearly at the 11th hour, causing much anger and inconvenience to supporters.
The flights were to be chartered by Widnes-based travel company World Choice Sport, leaving around 650 supporters stranded back home ahead of the match.
However, despite problems encountered in travel and accommodation, Liverpool fans are expected to be in full force as there has been more demand for the 16,626 tickets than its supply according to club CEO Peter Moore.
Moore was also grateful for the role of official club partner, Thomas Cook Sport, in getting supporters to Kiev.
“In their capacity as the club’s travel partner, Thomas Cook Sport has been working hard in the background to secure as many flights as possible to Kiev, at our request,” he said.
“We’re really grateful that they were able to secure a fourth aircraft at such an incredibly busy time, and offering it at cost price to our supporters.”
He revealed that Liverpool are looking to make the designated fan area in Shevchenko Park in Kiev as entertaining as possible, with a number of carefully chosen entertainment acts due to perform on stage.
“For those who are fortunate to be going to Kiev, we want to make the LFC fan stage near the stadium the best ever for our supporters,” Moore added.
“Everyone who was there remembers – and still talks about – the fan area outside the Ataturk in Istanbul back in 2005, but we’re hoping to better that if we can.
“We will look to have quality entertainment geared around what you want and expect as a LFC fan on this journey.
“Finally, for my part, I hope that the supporters feel that their commitment is being rewarded by a team that is now within one game of fulfilling all of our dreams,” he signed off.
