Manchester United fans choose home over Rome for Champions League final...

With official advice not to travel without a ticket, gloomy economic news and warnings about potentially violent trouble–spots ringing in their ears, thousands of Manchester United supporters are staying at home to watch Wednesday's Champions League final on big screens.

Supporters' groups expect the numbers travelling speculatively to Rome in the hope of getting a ticket to be well down on the number that went to Barcelona to watch the 1999 final, the last comparable trip to continental Europe.

While going abroad to follow your team used to be the ultimate badge of honour among fans, supporters' groups and academics believe the expense of watching modern football combined with efforts to discourage ticketless fans from attending have caused a cultural shift. More...

See also:

1. Man Utd win 18th.League title and equal Liverpool's record! 
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3. Was Barcelona victory a conspiracy to prevent an all-English Champion's League final?
4. Football frenzy in a Greek soccer stadium...