UEFA stand firm over Rome ticket allocation

UEFA has defended its policy for allocating tickets for the Champions League Final in Rome's Olympic Stadium.

Thousands of fans of Manchester United and Chelsea or Barcelona will end up hugely disappointed, with each team in the showpiece on 27 May only receiving 19,500 tickets.

The ground holds 67,000 yet 10,000 of those have been earmarked for sale through UEFA's ballot with the rest — around 18,000 — going to sponsors and other corporate partners.

United's website announced today that the tickets available will be priced at £183, £128, £83 and £65.

Last year, when United and Chelsea played in Moscow, each team received an allocation of 21,000, with the capacity at the Luzhniki Stadium set at 69,500.

There was no trouble between the two sets of fans in the Russian capital as it was virtually impossible for supporters to travel without a match ticket — which doubled as the necessary visa required to enter the country.

Italy, unlike Russia, has no such restrictions and thousands will make the easier journey to Rome without tickets.

United have an average attendance above 76,000, while Barcelona regularly attract crowds in excess of 90,000.

Chelsea's home gate is also double the ticket allocation for Rome but UEFA insist that it is their policy to make 75 per cent of the tickets available to the general public.

"The decision to split the tickets this way was taken a long time ago," a spokesman said.

"We have to allow football fans in general the opportunity to see the games and to thank the football family for their efforts over the season.

"We cannot say 100 per cent that more tickets won't be made available to fans of the two clubs but the capacity is what it is."