Going to Europe to watch football - advice please!

fatboyonadiet

I'm think of going to either Barcelona or Milan on the May Bank Holiday to watch a footie game, has anyone got any suggestions for saving money?

Had a look at flights and working out about £243 (Barca) or £300 (Milano) from Liverpool, doubt I can save much on these but anyone know of any cheap flights from Manchester?

Also any hostels that are very basic and cheap in either area and rought costs would be appreciated.

And most importantly anyone know of any reputable places I can get tickets from before I leave? Had a look at lastminute which work out between £20 - £49 for Barca and euro-football.co.uk is working out between £34 - £62 for Milano.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

matchfacts

Milan gives you the option of seeing AC Milan or Internazionale. I would guess AC Milan against Juventus, 8/5/05, may be quite popular so would mean getting tickets early.

Who's playing when can be found at:
http://www.sansiro.net/

Tickets for AC Milan at:
http://www.bestticket.it/newbt/default.asp?shop_id=MILANeng

Tickets for Inter at:
http://www.inter.it/en/biglietti/acquista.html
these are also available over the counter in one of the Italian banks. can't remember which one but it's owned by the club president.

Your flight price seems very expensive. The MSE flightchecker is showing loads of Liverpool to Milan (with Ryan Air) options for less than £20!!

I've always liked Venere.com for Italian hotels but hotelscomparison.com has been great for me recently.

Fatboy_NSS

Ryanair fly to Milan from Liverpool, as well as Luton, Stansted and Newcastle. Easyjet fly to Milan from Gatwick, and to Madrid from Liverpool, Bristol, Luton or Gatwick. I'm sure you'll be able to get some flights cheaper than £200, though probably not as good as £20 over the bank holiday.

donnie_darko_3

Matchfacts

thanks for the info on milan club tickets does your knowledge also extend to getting real madrid tickets per chance?

fatboyonadiet

Sorry - forgot to say thats for 4 people!

DD went to see Madrid last season and they won 7 - 2 what a match!

donnie_darko_3

Fatboy - how did you get tickets and how much please!

joa

I went to Real Madrid last November to watch them play Albacete .. Real won 5-1, great match.

Anyway, I digress, I was very lucky as my friend lives in Madrid. She had to phone every day for 7 days to get the tickets direct from the Club. It was made more difficult for her as she didn't know about footie tickets.
We sat on the 3rd tier (3 Amphiteatro?) .. we had a great view and it's all heated from the 3rd tier upwards so no need for gloves, scarfs, jumpers or big coats .. we wrapped up but ended up just sat there watching in our footie shirts.

I can't offer my friends services I'm afraid but if you do go, it's worth noting that games are normally on a Sunday unless they show it on TV, then it will be on a Saturday (they only decide the week before normally). If you go to Madrid for the whole weekend, try to fit in the Stadium tour, it's fairly cheap and well worth it, the Bernabau is fantastic, as is the Nou Camp albeit older and rustier. You even get to sit in the dugout seats at the Bernabau !!
There are also ticket touts outside the ground on the Saturday buying and selling. It's up to you of course if you want to take the risk.

fatboyonadiet

DD we turned up on the saturday morning at the ground to get tickets, the game had been changed from saturday to sunday (how they didn't manage to tell me I'll never know) but, tickets had sold out but they release more on the day to beat touts, basically went back on sunday, I queued up in the heat in an endless line while my wife went to the front and found a much shorter Q containing a dutch guy who could speak english and spanish! Bonus! Got some tickets on the front of the 2nd tier near the corner flag - good view! Sorry forgot to say paid about £30 equivalent.

While looking yesterday found some sites do sell them online but seem to charge a premium, reckon you can get tickets on the day, I managed to get them from and touts seemed to have loads.

On the Saturady someone bought tickets off a tout, loads of them are hanging about the stadium and they don't seem to charge much more than the face value.

Party_Animal

I've done the Neucamp, Easjet from Liverpool or Ryannair to Girona and bus to Barca. Not easy to get tickets for a league game but they don't tend to sell out for the Champion's League.

donnie_darko_3

Thanks for the info everyone

matchfacts

I'm told Real Madrid have no online sales but do have an agreement with CajaMadrid bank to sell tickets.

Calling on (902) 324 324 between 0900 and 2100 should allow anyone with a credit card to order up to 6 tickets which can be collected from the bank's branches or the stadium.

I've never tried this myself so I can't guarantee it works but it'll only cost a phonecall to find out it doesn't. Better that than pay extortionate costs of ticket agencies.