🚍 Journey or nightmare: the ordeal of travelling with Liverpool to Istanbul | OneFootball

Traveling around Europe with your team is always a reason to celebrate, but for Liverpool fans who want to be in Istanbul to cheer on their side against Galatasaray, the journey looks more like it’s going to turn into an epic adventure.

We can almost call it a scavenger hunt after reading the recommendations from Galatasaray to English fans, published today by journalist and Liverpool supporter Juan Yagüe.

It’s not advisable to use the metro

The pre-match atmosphere will be centered in Sultanahmet Square, where Liverpool fans have been called to gather as a meeting point.

Authorities advise booking accommodation in this area, as after the match, only official transport will return there.

They also recommend avoiding Taksim Square and the Istanbul metro: both places are regular strongholds for Galatasaray supporters and clashes could occur.

The odyssey of getting to the stadium

This is perhaps where the biggest headache begins. To access RAMS Park Stadium, it’s not enough to arrive on your own, as only those traveling on the free shuttle buses organized from Sultanahmet will be allowed entry.

There will be 30 buses in total for about 2,500 people. The journey takes around an hour and a half, and the buses have neither toilets nor disabled access… although with Istanbul’s chaotic traffic, that estimate could easily change.

By the way, the buses will head to the stadium four and a half hours before kickoff, and portable chargers are not allowed, which could complicate entry since tickets are exclusively electronic.

And after the final whistle... patience

When the match ends, another odyssey begins. Visiting fans may be held inside the stadium for at least 90 minutes before they can begin the return journey on the same buses, which will drop them back in Sultanahmet.

From there, the final hurdle will be the flight to Liverpool: about four and a half more hours to add to a day that promises to be a marathon for the most devoted fans.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

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