- Title: GERMANY: FANS MASS FOR MANCHASTER UNITED V DORTMUND MATCH
- Date: 9th April 1997
- Summary: DORTMUND, GERMANY (APRIL 9, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. ENGLISH FANS ARRIVING NEAR STADIUM 2. SIGN READING THAT TICKETS FOR GAME ARE SOLD OUT 3. FANS STANDING AROUND 4. VOXPOPS WITH ENGLISH FANS 5. EXTERIOR OF POLICE STATION IN DORTMUND 6. POLICE SPOKESMAN BERNHARD LEIDIGER SAYING - "WE HAVE THE STRONGEST POLICE PRESENCE HERE IN DORTMUND FOR THIS GAME SINCE THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WERE HELD HERE IN 1974" (GERMAN) 7. LEIDIGER SAYING "WE EXPECT 250-300 GERMAN HOOLIGAN FANS TO COME TO DORTMUND FOR THE GAME." (GERMAN) 8. LEIDIGER SAYING "WE EXPECT 50 to 100 ENGLISH HOOLIGANS AND MANY ENGLISH FANS WITHOUT TICKETS TO COME LATER. BUT WE ARE SETTING UP A LARGE SCREEN IN THE CENTRE OF DORTMUND AT THE BEER FEST FOR FANS, SO THAT FANS WHO DONT GET TICKETS CAN WATCH THE GAME THERE." (GERMAN) 9. VARIOUS OF GERMAN AND ENGLISH FANS AT BEER FAN FEST IN CENTRE OF DORTMUND. 10. VOXPOPS WITH ENGLISH FANS. 11. BEER STAND 12. POLICE HANDING OUT INFORMATION SHEETS TO ENGLISH FANS. 13. VARIOUS OF BEER FESTIVAL. Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 24th April 1997 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: DORTMUND, GERMANY
- City:
- Country: Germany
- Reuters ID: LVA8MSQ08HUJZWKV6OMBLDAVPZ73
- Story Text: Manchester United fans have been arriving in Germany for Wednesday night's (April 9) European Champions' League semi-final against Borussia Dortmund.
The mood in Dortmund was quite festive on Wednesday morning as German and English fans gathered at a special "fan" beer festival in the centre of the city.
The supporters faced tight security with the highest police presence of any Dortmund match in history.
There will be more German police on duty in the Ruhr city than at any Dortmund match in the past since 500 English fans are expected to turn up without tickets.
On Manchester United's last foreign trip, to Oporto in Portugal last month, dozens of fans were crushed before the game and fired at by riot police armed with rubber pellets after the final whistle.
Dortmund police officer in charge of security for the game, Bernhard Leidiger told reporters on Tuesday morning that the situation was very calm and he hoped the fans enjoyed the game.
Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United will both carry the hopes of a country as well as a city on their shoulders in the semifinals of the European Cup on Wednesday night.
Germany and England boast two of Europe's most powerful leagues but have not won the world's most prestigious club trophy since Hamburg and Liverpool triumphed in 1983 and 1984 respectively.
Both teams will be seeking to repeat successes in the sixties when they begin Wednesday night's first leg in Dortmund.
If the Germans reach next month's final in Munich they will have a chance to pick up their first European trophy since 1966 when they won the Cup Winners Cup. United are looking for a second European Cup triumph to add to their victory over Benfica in 1968.
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