It was not only staff at Fiumicino and Ciampino airports in Rome who were readying themselves for a busy day on Wednesday as 1,200 TV production and technical staff were putting the finishing touches to operations which will beam pictures from the UEFA Champions League final between FC Barcelona and Manchester United FC around the world.
Fergie Fields
Forty-four flights from Manchester alone were bound for the Italian capital as over 20,000 expectant supporters hoped to see Sir Alex Ferguson's side retain their European crown. The 2,000 of them set to camp on Viale Tor di Quinto, or Fergie Fields, will be relieved that temperatures have cooled this morning – albeit only slightly and with a chance of rain. Available hotel rooms in central Rome are as rare as spare tickets for a match which has long been a 67,000 sell-out.
Mixing freely.
The prospect of Barça becoming the first from Spain to win the treble, having already secured the Liga and Copa del Rey crowns this season, is enough to fill 75 planes from the city, with an additional 2,500 people travelling by sea. Supporters of both clubs have been mixing freely in the historic streets and squares of Rome, as well as the Champions Festival at two sites in the shadow of the Colosseum.
Massive coverage.
While those with tickets will hope for an 'I was there' moment, those following from home around the globe will receive coverage befitting a match of this stature. At the Stadio Olimpico tonight there will be full high definition production with 36 match cameras including a spidercam and helicopter camera; 30 camera positions behind the goals; 120 television and radio commentary positions; 270 written press seats with desks, and 350 without; 180 photographers; and 16 pre-match pitchside presentation positions.
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