Evangelos Marinakis to cover Nottingham Forest fans’ Istanbul coach costs amid matchday restrictions | OneFootball

Evangelos Marinakis will cover mandatory coach travel for Nottingham Forest supporters in Istanbul, Türkiye next week, paying around £53,500 imposed by local authorities.

The club said that the owner will pay the charges in full so fans are not asked to add a travel fee to their tickets. Forest face Fenerbahce in the Europa League play-off first leg in Istanbul, with the return at the City Ground on February 26.

Forest have 2,337 tickets, including 12 wheelchair positions, for the Chobani Stadyumu. Access to the away sector is only via the mandatory coaches, which run from the German Fountain in Sultanahmet Square, and supporters must be at the meeting point by 3pm local time.

Buses are due to arrive several hours before kick-off, and away fans will be held back for up to two hours after the game. Power banks are not permitted and will be confiscated without return, with fans urged to take only phones and passports.

Matchday coincides with the first day of Ramadan, so consuming alcohol and food outdoors at the meeting point, opposite the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, is forbidden, though nearby restaurants will operate as usual. Police will take a firm approach to those who do not respect local customs, and supporters without tickets are strongly advised not to travel.

Tickets cost £26 with no concessions. Kick-off is at 8.45pm local time, 5.45pm UK time, on Thursday, February 19, with progression to the last 16 at stake.

Source: Nottingham Post