Run Away, Liverpool are Coming!

By: Martha | December 10th, 2007

STOP BEATING US! The authorities in Marseille are in full freak-out mode today in anticipation of the arrival of Liverpool supporters for Wednesday’s crucial Champions League match. In addition to the usual “Oh, crap, English fans” concerns, though, there’s a new fear sweeping the city: Unnamed sources in Liverpool are reportedly telling Marseille officials that enterprising Liverpool supporters have printed up 1000+ replicas of the bibs stewards wear inside the Marseille ground, and are selling them to the punters. Hee.

It’s unclear whether the alleged bibs are being made in the hopes of using them to sneak undetected into the ground, or if they’re to be unleashed once the supporters get inside, where they’d doubtless cause all sorts of “Why are they here?” chaos. Pretend ones aside, the club are already going to have 720 stewards positioned between the home supporters and those who have come from Liverpool, and there will also be two battalions of riot police stationed outside, just in case.

In addition to their issues with the dreaded English Supporters, Marseille security officials have also had it with their counterparts at Liverpool who, they say, are making their lives much more difficult than necessary. About 2500 tickets have been sold to Liverpool supporters, but all the Marseille team know is that a charter plane will bring 500 of them — they have no idea who the others are, or where they’re coming from, and it’s giving them a pain. Which, actually, is understandable. I assume this is normal practice for Liverpool when they travel, but if you’re trying to wrangle two sets of fans for a massive match, it certainly would be nice to know how the group you most need to protect are arriving, and when they’re turning up.

Soon, though, the bitching will end and the actual match will begin. Marseille are on fire in Ligue 1, and handed Liverpool a 1-0 home loss on the first matchday. Rafa and his crew, meanwhile, are stuttering in the league, which means they’re about to blow up in Europe. Oh, and the teams are tied for second in the group, with everything to play for — should be a barn-burner, with or without 1000 extra stewards.