Liverpool in Champions League final: The agony and ecstasy of following the Reds
Only a tiny percentage of Liverpool's fan base will be in Kiev for Saturday's Champions League final against Real Madrid. The rest will be sat in front of their televisions at home or in various bars and open-air venues watching on big screens. Many will even be at Anfield.official nfl jerseys cheap
Reaching a European Cup final is a pretty big deal, unless you follow Real Madrid in which case it's an annual event. For everyone else, these occasions should be savoured as they don't come around too often, although for Liverpool it's actually their third final in 13 years, which isn't bad going for a club that has been "knocked off its perch".
For fans, being in Kiev is obviously the preferred option but for the overwhelming majority of Reds around the globe that isn't possible. It should not lessen their experience of the occasion though.
From a personal perspective, I've experienced both sides of it. I could not go to Istanbul in 2005 but I was there in Athens two years later. One provided memories I'll cherish for the rest of my life, the other was a largely miserable experience that still hurts any time I think about. Dirk Kurt up front on his own? Bolo Zenden?!? Really, Rafa?
I digress. The point is, finals are great, but only when you win.
Not being at the Ataturk Stadium did not lesson my enjoyment of "The Miracle of Istanbul". Being there would have been great, of course, but I don't feel as though I missed out because I had an incredible night with friends in my home town.
Athens, on the other hand, was miserable because it ended in defeat. Having to sit around in an airport for six hours waiting for a flight home (and they are always delayed) is bad enough, but our travelling party had to make a stop off in Germany before catching a flight back to Liverpool later that night. We did get a sympathetic wave from former Red Markus Babbel as he made his way through Cologne airport with the rest of his Stuttgart teammates (having just clinched the league title), but frankly it was scant consolation.nfl authentic jerseys cheap
I won't be going to Kiev but I'm at peace with that. There were just too many obstacles to overcome to get there. It sounds crazy, but getting a ticket for the match itself was not even the hardest part this year. Finding accommodation in or around Kiev was only possible if you were willing (or able) to pay extortionate prices.
