13 days to go
In the run up to the UEFA Champions League group stage draw on August 27 in Monaco, we will preview one of United's possible opponents each day.
Inter Milan
To give them their full title, FC Internazionale Milano are no strangers to this competition and will be hoping to do a bit better than last year, when United knocked them out at the last 16 stage.
Jose Mourinho's men retained their Serie A last season and they are the only club to have spent their entire history in the division.
Inter find themselves in Pot 2 for the draw and should present a pretty tough challenge to their group mates.
Last year at this stage, they finished second in Group B. Panathinaikos won it and Werder Bremen and Anorthosis missed out.
Their stadium is the world-famous San Siro, an 80,074 cauldron of noise 10 minutes west of the bustling city of Milan.
Away supporters generally get about 4,000 tickets in the lower tier of the Curva Sud. Getting there is straightforward, but time consuming.
You get the Metro to one of three stops near to the stadium, but you must walk the final 20 minutes of the journey. Providing you keep a low profile, the approach from Inter fans towards you will be relaxed.
As for the city, it's not one of my favourites.
It boasts the impressive Duomo cathedral and houses da Vinci's Last Supper painting at the Santa Maria delle Grazie, but apart from seeing those famous landmarks, there's little to do, and few central meeting points for fans to gather.
Its saving grace is that it is easy and cheap to reach, even if it is e4.50 a pint when you arrive.
Ways to get there (prices are approximate and return)
Manchester to Milan Malpensa on Flybe for £170
Bristol to Milan Malpensa on easyJet for £60
London Luton to Milan Malpensa on easyJet for £80
London Gatwick to Milan Malpensa on easyJet and AirBaltic for £90
London Heathrow to Milan Malpensa on British Airways £120
Edinburgh to Milan Malpensa on easyJet, germanwings and Flybe for £125
London Gatwick to Milan Linate on easyJet for £120
London Heathrow to Milan Linate on British Airways for £280
Manchester to Milan Bergamo on Ryanair for £45
Bristol to Milan Bergamo on Ryanair for £20
London Luton to Milan Bergamo on Ryanair for £50
London Stansted to Milan Bergamo on Ryanair for £80
then an hour-long coach for £12
London Gatwick to Turin on British Airways for £140
London Luton to Turin on easyJet for £140
London Stansted to Turin on Ryanair for £140
then a two-hour train for £13
London Gatwick to Genoa n British Airways for £120 then a four-hour train for £30
Liverpool to Pisa on Ryanair for £60
Manchester to Pisa on jet2.com and Thomson Flights for £250
Birmingham to Pisa on Ryanair for £90
East Midlands to Pisa on Ryanair for £145
Edinburgh to Pisa on Ryanair and Jet2.com for £150
Bristol to Pisa on easyJet £160
London Stansted to Pisa on Ryanair for £180
London Gatwick to Pisa on easyJet, British Airways and Thomson Flights for £205
then a six-hour train for £60
London Stansted to Lyon on easyJet for £50
London Gatwick to Lyon on easyJet for £50
then a six-hour train for £100
Liverpool to Geneva on easyJet for £45
Manchester to Geneva on easyJet, Swiss Air, Jet2.com and bmi baby for £50
Birmingham to Geneva on easyJet and bmibaby for £45
East Midlands to Geneva on easyJet and bmibaby for £45
Bristol to Geneva on easyJet for £50
Newcastle to Geneva on easyJet for £60
Edinburgh to Geneva on easyJet for £50
London Gatwick to Geneva on easyJet, British Airways and airBaltic for £45
London Stansted to Geneva on easyJet for £55
London Luton to Geneva on easyJet for £50
then a four-hour train for £80
By coach
National Express (Eurolines) run coaches between Manchester Chorlton Street and Turin, with changes at London Victoria and Paris for £96 return. It's a 28-hour journey each way.
By direct train
For about £105, you can go from Manchester Piccadilly through to Milan, with changes in London for the Eurostar and Paris for a sleeper train. Leaving Manchester at noon on a Monday would get you there at 05:38 the next morning.
By car
Driving would cost about £340 in petrol and take 15 hours each way without a break. It's 964 miles each way.
Fun factor: 4/10
Safety factor: 7/10
Bargain factor: 6/10
Convenience factor: 7/10
Score: 24/40
In the run up to the UEFA Champions League group stage draw on August 27 in Monaco, we will preview one of United's possible opponents each day.
Inter Milan
To give them their full title, FC Internazionale Milano are no strangers to this competition and will be hoping to do a bit better than last year, when United knocked them out at the last 16 stage.
Jose Mourinho's men retained their Serie A last season and they are the only club to have spent their entire history in the division.
Inter find themselves in Pot 2 for the draw and should present a pretty tough challenge to their group mates.
Last year at this stage, they finished second in Group B. Panathinaikos won it and Werder Bremen and Anorthosis missed out.
Their stadium is the world-famous San Siro, an 80,074 cauldron of noise 10 minutes west of the bustling city of Milan.
Away supporters generally get about 4,000 tickets in the lower tier of the Curva Sud. Getting there is straightforward, but time consuming.
You get the Metro to one of three stops near to the stadium, but you must walk the final 20 minutes of the journey. Providing you keep a low profile, the approach from Inter fans towards you will be relaxed.
As for the city, it's not one of my favourites.
It boasts the impressive Duomo cathedral and houses da Vinci's Last Supper painting at the Santa Maria delle Grazie, but apart from seeing those famous landmarks, there's little to do, and few central meeting points for fans to gather.
Its saving grace is that it is easy and cheap to reach, even if it is e4.50 a pint when you arrive.
Ways to get there (prices are approximate and return)
Manchester to Milan Malpensa on Flybe for £170
Bristol to Milan Malpensa on easyJet for £60
London Luton to Milan Malpensa on easyJet for £80
London Gatwick to Milan Malpensa on easyJet and AirBaltic for £90
London Heathrow to Milan Malpensa on British Airways £120
Edinburgh to Milan Malpensa on easyJet, germanwings and Flybe for £125
London Gatwick to Milan Linate on easyJet for £120
London Heathrow to Milan Linate on British Airways for £280
Manchester to Milan Bergamo on Ryanair for £45
Bristol to Milan Bergamo on Ryanair for £20
London Luton to Milan Bergamo on Ryanair for £50
London Stansted to Milan Bergamo on Ryanair for £80
then an hour-long coach for £12
London Gatwick to Turin on British Airways for £140
London Luton to Turin on easyJet for £140
London Stansted to Turin on Ryanair for £140
then a two-hour train for £13
London Gatwick to Genoa n British Airways for £120 then a four-hour train for £30
Liverpool to Pisa on Ryanair for £60
Manchester to Pisa on jet2.com and Thomson Flights for £250
Birmingham to Pisa on Ryanair for £90
East Midlands to Pisa on Ryanair for £145
Edinburgh to Pisa on Ryanair and Jet2.com for £150
Bristol to Pisa on easyJet £160
London Stansted to Pisa on Ryanair for £180
London Gatwick to Pisa on easyJet, British Airways and Thomson Flights for £205
then a six-hour train for £60
London Stansted to Lyon on easyJet for £50
London Gatwick to Lyon on easyJet for £50
then a six-hour train for £100
Liverpool to Geneva on easyJet for £45
Manchester to Geneva on easyJet, Swiss Air, Jet2.com and bmi baby for £50
Birmingham to Geneva on easyJet and bmibaby for £45
East Midlands to Geneva on easyJet and bmibaby for £45
Bristol to Geneva on easyJet for £50
Newcastle to Geneva on easyJet for £60
Edinburgh to Geneva on easyJet for £50
London Gatwick to Geneva on easyJet, British Airways and airBaltic for £45
London Stansted to Geneva on easyJet for £55
London Luton to Geneva on easyJet for £50
then a four-hour train for £80
By coach
National Express (Eurolines) run coaches between Manchester Chorlton Street and Turin, with changes at London Victoria and Paris for £96 return. It's a 28-hour journey each way.
By direct train
For about £105, you can go from Manchester Piccadilly through to Milan, with changes in London for the Eurostar and Paris for a sleeper train. Leaving Manchester at noon on a Monday would get you there at 05:38 the next morning.
By car
Driving would cost about £340 in petrol and take 15 hours each way without a break. It's 964 miles each way.
Fun factor: 4/10
Safety factor: 7/10
Bargain factor: 6/10
Convenience factor: 7/10
Score: 24/40
1 comment:
away would be in primo anello blu (curva sud) if its inter's home game
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