Michel Platini admits ‘mistake’ over Champions League tickets
Uefa president apologises for the high cost of tickets for this year's Champions League final at Wembley
Uefa president Michel Platini has apologised for the high price of tickets for this year’s Champions League final, adding that the governing body will consider introducing cheaper family categories in future.
General sale tickets for the final of Europe’s premier club competition at Wembley on 28 May are the most expensive in the tournament’s history, with the cheapest costing £176.
The cheapest option for one adult and one child costs £338, although tickets for fans of the clubs involved in the final next month are expected to be priced at around £80.
“It was a mistake, it was not good,” said Platini, who was in London for the handover of the Champions League trophy on Wednesday. “But it is not easy to decide the price of the tickets in the Champions League final.
“We have received 200,000 requests for 10,000 tickets and now on the black market these tickets are 10 times the price that we decided.
“Perhaps in the future we have to have another category for families that is less expensive. But if you put those on the black market how much will they cost?”
The 55-year-old former France midfielder added: “It was not a good communication and I apologise about that.”
The final at Wembley will see either Manchester United or Bundesliga side Schalke play one of La Liga giants Barcelona or Real Madrid.
“I’m very proud to receive the cup from a great club like Inter and to give it to a great football city like London,” said Platini at the trophy handover event on Wednesday.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson added: “I want to thank Uefa very much for choosing London as the venue. Football has done fantastic things for the people of this city and London does great things for football.
“That’s why we’re so proud to welcome Uefa for this great final and to be organising an eight-day festival of football in Hyde Park and other iconic locations. Thank you for bringing the cup for London – may the best team win.”
David Bernstein, the chairman of the Football Association, expressed his pride in seeing the capital host the event. “Despite the fact there are no longer any London clubs left in the competition, the final is very much for the whole of London,” he told an audience that included England manager Fabio Capello.
“As Madrid, Rome and Moscow in previous years will no doubt confirm, the Champions League final is a wonderful event, not just for the host stadium but also the host city.”
The Champions League trophy goes on tour in London from 21 April until 21 May, when it moves to the Uefa Champions Festival in Hyde Park. The tour begins at Duke of York Square on King’s Road on Thursday.
