Fans await Champions League final
Written: 21st May, 2008
Thousands of football fans from the UK are in Moscow for the first all-English final of the Champions League.
About 40,000 Manchester United and Chelsea supporters will travel for the match, which kicks off at 1945 BST at the Luzhniki Stadium.
Eighteen specialist UK officers have travelled to the Russian capital to assist the policing operation.
The Association of Chief Police Officers in London said there had been no reports of any trouble.
Manchester United are bidding to become European champions for the third time, while it is Chelsea's first appearance in the final.
Two officers from the national football policing unit have travelled, along with eight each from the Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
Their role will be as "spotters" to try to prevent any English fans causing trouble or engaging in anti-social behavour.
Speaking from Moscow, Chief Superintendent Janette McCormick said: "Although GMP officers have no powers of arrest abroad and ultimate responsibility for policing the game lies with the Russian authorities, we have been gathering intelligence on potential and known troublemakers, and GMP officers will be in Moscow in an advisory role."
She urged supporters to follow the advice being given - do not travel without a legitimately-purchased ticket, use the official transport provided to the stadium and be mindful of personal safety.
The Met said a number of officers with specialist knowledge of Chelsea followers who pose a risk would be acting in support of local police.
Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said: "We know who the main troublemakers are and if any try to travel to Russia they will be arrested and dealt with by the full weight of the law."
Fans were not allowed to travel to the game from British airports unless they had a match ticket, their passport and a flight ticket.
The Russian authorities have laid on a fleet of 700 buses to transport fans directly from airports to supporter "camps", then on to the stadium for the game, which kicks off at 10.45pm local time.
There will be no big screens erected to enable those who do make it to Moscow without tickets to view the match.
Alcohol consumption is banned in all public areas in Moscow, and supporters face arrest if they drink in the street.
More than 6,000 police and military from the Ministry of Interior have been put on stand-by for the event.
Both clubs held news conferences on Tuesday afternoon followed by training sessions at the stadium.