Thread by @draper_rob

Can’t quite believe we’re here again after the chaos of Paris last year + promises made that Istanbul would be better …. but we’ve tried to collate the experiences of Man City fans in the paper today + I’m properly shocked at what went on last weekend in Istanbul…

Shocked that having put some work into this, @UEFA wouldn’t even comment or offer any apology. I’m guessing they will in time but impression it gives is that they don’t care (FWIW I know there are people who do, but the official face is so tone deaf)…..

I can’t think of any other leisure event where you would pay between €70 to €690 (+flights + hotels) + then be asked to queue for 2hrs to get a bus to take you there, which itself might take 3hrs….this is queue for shuttle buses from @PeterCampbe11

That you may not get a seat so in reality you can be standing for 5hours in heat to get to event. Oh, and they confíscate your water for journey 🤷🤯
Of course there are no toilet facilities on the bus
Almost like this wasn’t thought through with needs of fans foremost…

Then once you arrive at stadium queues are 1hour plus for food and toilets….the taken by @PIettigoaI who says queues were 1hr 45mins long

There was some blatant racketeering inside stadium detailed here by @City_Xtra + corroborated by people I’ve spoken to. €10 bottles of water (when you’ve had yours confiscated😡), bars mysteriously becoming cash only at higher than advertised prices….

cityxtra.co.uk/4468/motorhome…

The toilets in stadium car park were also inadequate, as detailed by @City_Xtra

Basically RVs. One tried to drive off with a fan still in there which would be almost comical we’re it not for the litany of contempt it represents from organisers

After the match was even worse. This is the queue for shuttle buses home from @1894andrew

Again no stewards or officials to guide, queues of more than an hour only then to sit on gridlocked car park for 2 hours…

This morning I’ve heard many Man City staff were stuck for 3hours I’m car park after game. Which is 1 way to deflate a party.

I’ve also been told gridlock was same for VIPs

The point is tho that VIPs weren’t travelling like this (@1894andrew)

And until someone at UEFA can tell me why this is acceptable, then I’ll keep banging on about this. What I don’t get is, whether this was local organisers or not, it’s @UEFA brand on the tin. They get blame so why do they let this happen?

Specially I want to talk to Aleksander Čeferin, president. #LFC #MCFC literally saved his job when they protested against their own clubs, lobbied govt + brought down Super League. And this is how they’re repaid?!….

Now this calamity wasn’t the near ‘mass fatality catastrophe’ of last year. Yet there are parallels. Key take homes from Paris report were inadequate stewards on ground who spoke English/Spanish, no direction as to where to go….

Despite UEFA engaging widely before the event with fans, this happened again. How can this be?

Also miscommunication of travel advice almost caused tragedy in Paris. Again, every City fan I’ve spoken to thinks official advice was avoid metro, take buses..

UEFA have shown me message they say was sent out which says metro is a good way to get there. But they need to understand why that message wasn’t received or communicated …

And lastly, just because there isn’t a near fatal crush, doesn’t mean ‘all’s well that ends well’. Tragedies are born out of years of contempt, indifference, bad organisation. You get away with it 9/10 times. And then you don’t….that’s why this matters…

Anyway, if you’re still with me and have an appetite for more of this the link is here 👇

dailymail.co.uk/sport/football…

Lastly (really lastly) a huge thanks to Man City fans who took time to contact me this week especially @PeterCampbe11 @1894andrew @djge99 @Felix6ood @PIettigoaI @AntCrick