Tuesday, March 30

United progress hangs in the balance


An early away goal was the dream start for the Reds in Munich tonight - but two second-half goals by the host leave United on the back foot going into next Wednesday's return leg.

That said, a goal in that game at Old Trafford would be enough to put United through to the semi final, where a two-legged tie with either Lyon or Bordeaux would await.


In the first leg in Lyon tonight, the home side won 3-1. The second leg of that match also takes in eight days.


If United did make it through, the away leg of the semi final would be played on Tuesday, April 27.


See highlights from both games here.

Sunday, March 28

Munich ticket, travel and pub guide


Bayern Munich
UEFA Champions League quarter final first leg
Tuesday March 30, 2010, kick off 19:30 UK time and 20:30 German time
Allianz Arena, Munich


Tickets
United have got 3,048 tickets costing £46.50. About 800 of those will be priced at £91.50.

All tickets have been sold and have been sent out by special delivery.

All tickets in the home end are also sold out, making the match a 66,000 sell out.

Weather
According to the BBC forecast, those making the trip are in for a treat.

It's not quite t-shirt weather in the Bavarian capital, but it's not far off.
Those arriving on Monday will be welcomed by light rain broken by sunshine and temperatures of up to 13C/55F.

Match day itself will bring sunny internals and temperatures of up to 17C/63F, though it will probably drop down to 5C/41F for the match.

It will be a much colder 8C/46F as most reds make their way home on Wednesday in light rain.


TV
Sky Sports 2 and Sky Sports 2 HD will show the match live, with the show starting at 19:00 and ending at 21:45.

From Munich Airport to town
The airport is 17 miles north east of the city centre. You can take the train or the bus into town or hire a car from the airport or get a taxi.

By train, follow the airport signs to Munich Airport Station, which is in a tunnel beneath the central section of the airport, similar to the layout at London Stansted.

Take line S1 or S8 on the Suburban Railway service. It takes 45 minutes to reach the central Munich Train Station, called Hauptbahnhof and trains leave roughly every 10 minutes at peak hours and every 30 minutes off peak. It costs e8 one way.

Lufthansa provides an airport bus shuttle to town, but it costs e8 one way and takes longer than the train. It's not worth it.

By taxi, it will take you about 40 minutes and cost you about e55.

Of course, there's plenty to do away from the stadium.

Hotels
If you've not sorted a room out yet, we have options for all budgets in our guide which can be found here.

Things to do in town
First, get to grips with the Metro. It's as easy to navigate as any other city. Here is a map.

The restaurants are fantastic if a little pricey (a pint of lager will set you back about e.3.75, by the way) and there's plenty in the way or architecture, with many gems on show, like the New Town Hall and The Peterskirche church - both close to the central Marienplatz square.


Pubs
There two Irish pubs mainly which will be the meeting point of reds.

The main one is Killains at Frauenpltz 11 (pictured), just off the central Marianplatz (it can be a bit tricky to find through a maze of backstreets though).

And the other one is The Shamrock at Trautenwolfstrsse 6 – but we recommend Killains.
What other sites are there to see?

The Munich Memorial
It's in the quiet district of Trudering at the spot that marks where the plane came down on February 6, 1958.

From the central Munich Train Station, called Hauptbahnhof, take the red U7 service 11 stops east towards Messestadt-Ost and get off at Trudering.

Walk up the steps and, with the parkland on your right, walk about 500 yards straight and follow the road round to the right.

Walk for another few minutes and you should see a football pitch/park on your right and a pub on your left.

Turn left past the pub and you'll see the memorial right in front of you. There's also a shop and florists opposite the pub.

Getting to the ground
From Hauptbahnhof, take the U4 line two stops east toward s Arabellapark and get off at Odeonsplatz.

Then take the U6 line 10 stops north towards Garching-Forschungszentrum and get off at Frottmaning.

From there, follow the crowd. You can see the stadium when you leave the station. It's a 10-minute walk to the turnstiles.

Other useful information

Read the Foreign Office's travel advice for Munich here.
Read the Munich Tourist Association's webpages here.

Friday, March 26

Bolton ticket, travel and pub guide


Bolton Wanderers
Reebok Stadium
Premier League
Saturday March 27, kick off 17.30pm


Tickets
Executive members and season ticket holders who can find out now if they have them.

United have got 2,800 tickets in the South Stand lower tier.

They cost the same as they did last season £27 for adults, £21 for over 65s and £13 for under 16s.

When Liverpool played at the Reebok Stadium in August, they got 4,635 tickets.

Home-end tickets are now on sale to anyone with a booking history with Bolton.

TV
ESPN and ESPN will show the match live. The show starts at 16:45 and ends at 19:45.

Weather

Saturdays' game between Bolton and United will be played in light rain in temperatures of 9C48F, according to the BBC.

But despite the forecast, the Wanderers' stadium in Horwich is on high ground and it is renowned for a biting wind to whip around the stands.

Another plus is that heavy rain is predicted for Sunday and Monday, but only light rain is forecast for Saturday during the match.



Travel
Yes, it’s only up the road, so it won’t be a long guide, but some people may wish to know train times and where to park for free.

Car - £5.20
It’s very simple from Manchester. Take the M61 to junction 6, do a right at the roundabout and you’ll see the stadium in front of you.

Do a right at the next roundabout for Lostock Lane. For the Beehive, go straight on at that roundabout and you’ll see it right in front of you at the next roundabout.

If you’re using a satnav or a routeplanner, key in the postcode BL6 6JS. It’s 20 miles away and will cost £5.20 in petrol.

Parking
A space on the stadium car park costs £6 and there are a few industrial estates dotted nearby, like off Lostock Lane, with spaces for £3.

There’s an Asda supermarket adjacent to the ground. Non-customer parking is banned on matchdays, but there’s nothing to stop you going in to buy a newspaper before the game. Putting your receipt on the dashboard also helps.

Depending on how far you want to walk, there are free spaces further down Lostock Lane and past the Beehive Pub. You can park at the Beehive for £5.

Train - £3.30
Get an off-peak return ticket to Horwich Parkway, which is a two-minute walk to the stadium.

To the match
Direct trains leave Piccadilly at 10:46, 10:54 and then at 46 and 54 past each hour after that.

All those trains call at Oxford Road three minutes later and Deansgate three minutes after that.

The journey takes roughly 30 minutes from Piccadilly.

At 16 past each hour starting at 10:16, you can get a train from Piccadilly to Bolton and then change for Horwich Parkway. The whole journey takes 40 minutes.

All of these trains leave from Platform 14 at Piccadilly.

Don't leave Piccadilly after 16:54 else you'll miss kick off.

Direct trains leave Victoria at 10:22 and then at 22 minutes past the hour up to and including 15:22 and then the final one leaves at 16:20. They all leave from Platform 6. The journey takes 27 minutes.

There are trains every 15 minutes or so that take you to Salford Crescent where you can change for Horwich Parkway. The full journey takes 40 minutes.

Don't leave Victoria after 16:22 else you'll miss kick off.

From the match
Trains leave Horwich Parkway to Manchester at:
19:14V, 19:27P, 20:14V, 20:27P, 20:39P (change at Chorley), 20:39P, 21:14V, 21:27P, 22:14V, 22:27P, 23:14V, 23:27P, 23:56V. The journey takes roughly 30 minutes.

The first few trains after the game will probably run differently and more frequently to the timetable and will go to Victoria non stop.

Bus - £1.50
Bolton runs 13 bus services to and from the stadium on matchdays for £1 single and £1.50 return.

They start from Bury, Radcliffe, Swinton, Leigh, Farnworth, Bolton, Bromley Cross, Darcy Lever, Chorley, Wigan and Egerton. Timetable information is here.

You could, for example, catch the Metrolink to Radcliffe (on the Bury Line) and walk two minutes to Radcliffe bus station and catch the number 3 bus, listed above.

Coach - £13
United are running coaches to the game with places costing £14 per person.

The coaches leave the Old Trafford N2 car park at 15:30pm and are expected to return at 20:45. Call United on 0161 868 800 or go here to book.

The Betty Bus is running to this game. Details to follow shortly.

You can book by emailing your name, number of places needed and a contact number to redsaway@hotmail.co.uk

Red Army Travel is running a coach to this game with places costing £15 per person. Call 0161 998 4455 or 07545 39 1999 to book.

Pubs
Scotts, in between the train station and the ground, is only open to fans showing home end tickets on the door. There’s usually a fair bit of a room there on match days and you can get served quicker than you’d expect.

My favourite when visiting the Reebok is The Bromilow Arms in Lostock Lane. You can park there for £3 and they do brilliant food.

It can get quite packed pretty early and it can sometimes take 15/20 minutes to get served.

It’s technically a home fans’ pub but you won’t get any trouble from the locals, mainly because it’s popular with older fans who come for the real ales and with families who come for the decent food, especially the curry.

You can also park on the car park outside The Beehive (pictured) in Chorley New Road.

Believe it or not, it’s a Grade Two listed building. It’s much bigger than the Bromilow, has an outdoor seating area at the front and is pretty much the main away fans’ pub for this ground. It opens at 11am.

But because of that, you tend to get lots of police and the (albeit small) chance of trouble. But it’s only a five-minute walk to the ground, as is the Bromilow.

If you’re after something a bit quieter, you’ll have to venture a bit further from the stadium, but it’s worth it.

Head towards the motorway roundabout and turn left at the next roundabout onto Chorley Road. At number 480, you’ll find The Royal Oak, which is a great little place for a pre-match pint.

And further down that road, you’ll find The Wagon and Horses, which is a decent little boozer.

Time to stand up to Sunderland!

Yes, it's that time of year again!

United are playing Sunderland away, and those nice old councillors at Sunderland Town Hall are about to reduce the number of away-end tickets.

Last season United got 1,700 tickets and councillors will meet on Monday to discuss "the possibility of restricting the number of seats available to Manchester United as a sanction for persistent standing at the corresponding fixture in the 2008/09 season."

However, it's not too late to influence the decision.

Our view at Reds Away - as it is at Stretford End Flags - is that, rather than improving fans' safety, reducing the allocation would actually endanger it because thousands of United fans would, rightly or wrongly, try to get in the home end.

This is Sunderland AFC's view on the subject.

Responding to an email from Stretford End Flags, Sunderland's safety manager, Paul Weir, said: "We are duty bound to encourage people to sit in our all seater stadium in consideration of spectator safety and comfort.

"Your view regarding standing is exactly that, your view.

"I have complaints from other supporters complaining that they and their children could not see the game due to people standing for long periods."

And, quite provocatively, he added: "One way of ensuring an increased allocation is to comply with the ground regulations, and not to consider yourself above them."

But luckily for us, it's not Paul who makes the final decision.


Sunderland City Council's regulatory committee will meet on Monday afternoon.

Here is the report they will consider.

You can make your views known on the issue to the people making the decision.

Email the committee's chairman at cllr.amy.wilson@sunderland.gov.uk
and the other committee members can be contacted at:

cllr.peter.gibson@sunderland.gov.uk
cllr.paul.maddison@sunderland.gov.uk
cllr.sylvia.old@sunderland.gov.uk
cllr.ivan.richardson@sunderland.gov.uk
cllr.james.scott@sunderland.gov.uk
cllr.john.walton@sunderland.gov.uk
and
cllr.denis.whalen@sunderland.gov.uk

Here is some sample wording to inspire you.
Finaly, the councillors only have to consider the views of people who live in Sunderland, though, should someone email them and simply say they were from Sunderland, they would have no reason to suggest they were lying.

Blackburn ballot results expected today


Executive members and season ticket holders who applied for tickets to see United at Blackburn can find out today if they have them.

United have been given about 6,900 tickets in the upper and lower tiers of the Darwen End at Ewood Park.

They will cost £35 for adults, £25 for over 65s and £15 for under 16s.

A full travel and pub guide will appear here shortly.

United in the news


Rooney and Carrick tuck into junk food after training at United (Georgina Littlejohn, Daily Mail)

With a huge Champions League match on the horizon, is this really the kind of food we want our Premier League stars gorging on?
More.

United fast-track Owen Hargreaves' return (Louise Taylor, The Guardian)

Sir Alex Ferguson summoned the midfielder to train with the first team this morning, raising hopes that he may have a part to play in the title race.
More.

Bolton's Cahill could return against United (The Sports Network)

The 24-year-old former Aston Villa star has been sidelined since the end of January when it was revealed that he had a blood clot in his arm.
More.

Thursday, March 25

Mild conditions await United at the Reebok


Saturdays' game between Bolton and United will be played in light rain in temperatures of 9C48F, according to the BBC.

But despite the forecast, the Wanderers' stadium in Horwich is on high ground and it is renowned for a biting wind to whip around the stands.

Another plus is that heavy rain is predicted for Sunday and Monday, but only light rain is forecast for Saturday during the match.

United in the news


Worry over Rooney knee injury (Daily Mail)

Wayne Rooney is facing a difficult battle to be fit for Saturday's game at Bolton after sitting out two days of training.
More.

Bucs haven't suffered because of United - Glazer (TampaBay.com)

Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer said his family's commitment to the Bucs has not wavered since their purchase of the Manchester United soccer club and vowed they will do "whatever we've got to do to win."
More.

The Glazers feel the heat (Zae, Vital Football)

Don't get fooled though: it does not necessarily mean that the Glazers are considering giving up on United.
More.

Chelsea demolish Portsmouth 5-0 to go within a point of United (Metro)

Drogba set them on their way when David James raced out of his area to make a clearance but missed the ball, ­leaving the Ivory Coast striker to tap into an empty net.
More.

Hargreaves: I feared I'd never play again (David McDonnell, The Mirror)

"I wouldn't say I'm pain-free," said Hargreaves. "I'm still in the process of getting some injections to try to manage the pain."
More.

Robben brilliance sends Bayern through to final (UEFA.com)

FC Bayern München will meet Werder Bremen in the German Cup final after Arjen Robben scored a brilliant individual goal.
More.

Tuesday, March 23

Munich flights for £227.64


Tuesday March 30
flybe.com
Leave: London Gatwick 07:25
Arrive: Dusseldorf International 10:00

Airberlin.com
Leave: Dusseldorf International 12:20
Arrive: Munich 13:35
Price: £57.94

Wednesday March 31
Airberlin.com
Leave: Munich 12:20
Arrive: Dusseldorf International 15:00

flybe.com
Leave: Dusseldorf International 17:00
Arrive: London Gatwick 17:30

flybe.com return price: £117:11
airberlin.com return price: £110:53
Total: £227.64

Champion Sports Tours Munich trips sold out

A company spokesman said: "We have now sold out of all our Day Stop & 2 Night stay packages.
"Due to circumstances beyond our control there will be no further charter flights available for this trip."

United in the news


United must beat Chelsea, says Paul Scholes (James Ducker, The Times)

“The game against Chelsea at Old Trafford next week is going to be massive and we need to win that one, but it’s not the only important match.
More.

The star was bright, Fernando - but Torres ain't shining any more (Derek McGovern, The Mirror)

Sunday's latest show of petulance from the Spaniard underlines the frustrations at Anfield this season.
More.

Watmore quits in row over discipline and rugby at Wembley (Daily Mail)

It is the five representatives from the professional leagues on that committee whose obstructions to his plans have forced Watmore out, one of which is David Gill.
More.

Monday, March 22

Co-op travel day trip sold out


A day trip to Munich provided by Cooperative Travel Sports on behalf of United is now sold out.

Places cost £329 per person excluding insurance but including the price of a match ticket, which is guaranteed to all members of the club's European travel club. Three planes will be going on this trip.

If you're making your own way there and need to book a hotel, here is our hotel guide.

Check now for Blackburn and Bayern tickets


If you applied for tickets to see United play in Munich or Blackburn, you can find now if you got them.

Check by calling the ticket office on 0161 868 8000 or online here.

All tickets will be posted out by special delivery.

Anyone who gets Munich tickets has until 08:00 on Friday to provide United with a travel report detailing how they plan to get to and from Munich.

Bolton home-end tickets still on general sale


Home end tickets for Bolton Wanderers against United on Saturday are still on general on sale.

Tickets will be sold to those with a purchase history of buying tickets from Bolton.

It is a category A game, so adult tickets cost from £32 to £37.

The away fans will be in the South Stand.

You can buy tickets from 09:00 by calling 0844 971 2932 or in person at the Reebok Stadium.

Miss Ellies offers trip to Munich

Details here.

Champion Sporst Tours announce Munich trip details


Champion Sports Tours have announced details of two trips they are running for United's UEFA Champions League quarter final match in Munich a week tomorrow.

There is a day trip, with places costing £255 per person excluding match ticket price and insurance.

For that, you get return flights between Manchester and Munich leaving at 07:00 on matchday and returning after the match as well as coach transfers to and from the Allianz Arena.

Loyalty Pot members can also get a match ticket, though it is not included in the package price.

There is also a two-night trip which costs £359 per person based on two people sharing a twin room.

You will fly out from Manchester at 07:00 next Monday, get a coach to a two or three-star hotel in Munich.

Breakfast is included and you can star at a four or five-star hotel if you wish to pay extra.

Leisure time is yours, including the match, up until the Wednesday when you will get a coach back to the airport and fly from Munich at 15:00.

To book any of these trips, call 0161 282 1966 or email Debbie@mufctravel.com

Co-op travel still offering Munich package


On behalf of United, Cooperative Travel Sports are running a day trip to Madrid for United members who are also members of the club's European travel club.

For £329 per person excluding insurance, you get return flights between Manchester and Munich, coach travel to and from the Allianz Arena (pictured right) and a guaranteed match ticket.

Two planes have already sold out and, at the time of writing, there are 10 places left on the third one.

Book here.

If you're making your own way there and need to book a hotel, here is our hotel guide.

Apply for Manchester City tickets now


Executive members and season ticket holders can now apply to get tickets for United's trip to Manchester City on April 17, kick off 12:45.

United have got 2,569 tickets in the upper and lower tier of the south end of the stadium.

Depending on whether you're in the upper or lower tier, they cost £41 or 40 for adults, £21 or £20 for over 65s and £10 for under 16s.

You can apply online or by calling 0161 868 8000 through to 08:00 on Friday.

Those who apply can find out if they have got tickets on April 2.

United in the news


One giant leap for Manchester United: Advantage Fergie in title race but Rooney limps away (Matt Lawton and Ian Ladyman, Daily Mail)

One giant leap for Manchester United: Advantage Fergie in title race but Rooney limps away.
More.

United's width stretched Liverpool to breaking point (Guardian blog)

Dirk Kuyt and Maxi Rodriguez were forced to concentrate more on containment than supporting their isolated attack.
More.

United are in pole position, says Carlo Ancelotti (Matt Hughes, The Times)

“We have less probability of winning the title, but we want to fight. We need to work together, stay compact and the game against Portsmouth is very, very important. We can stay close to Manchester United."
More.

Debate: Can anyone stop Manchester United winning the Premier League? (Daily Telegraph)

United are now the odds-on favourites to win a 19th league title after a perfect Sunday. But is this unpredictable season really done and dusted?
More.

Sunday, March 21

Saturday, March 20

Munich hotel guide


Munich is certainly no strange place reds and many of you making the trip for the match on Tuesday, March 30 may already have your favoured hotels to book.

Many of you will have visited the city to visit the Munich air crash memorial while others will have enjoyed the Audi Cup there last July.

But if you're looking for some inspiration on where to put your head down, you needn't worry – the Bavarian capital has plenty to offer in terms of accommodation.

Luxury - £106.62 pr pn

One of the finest hotels in town is the five-star Le Meridien (pictured above) at Bayerstasse 41 – right opposite the main train station.

It has its own gym, swimming pool, restaurant, a sauna and a steam room. You can grab a superior twin room for £106.62 per room per night.

Book via booking.com with a credit card. If you cancel, you will still have to pay. The cash is taken off your card at the time of booking.

If you want even more luxury and you're willing to push the boat out a little more, book at the Sofitel Munich Bayerpost (pictured right) at Bayerstrasse 12, which is the same street as the Meridien.

It has the same standard of facilities as its neighbour, but boasts a more modern design.

You can grab a superior twin room for the night for £128.30 with booking.com – but again, you can't cancel and get a refund and the cash is taken from you when you book.

Value - £40.32 pr pn
If you've got an eye on your wallet but won't compromise on quality, the place for you is Pension Lugano at Schillerstrasse 32, Ludwigsvorstadt.

It's a two-minute walk away from the central train station, which is a decent meeting place and allows you to get a two-minute Tube to Marienplatz – the proper heart of Munich.


It's only a one-star hotel, but that's only because most of the rooms have shared toilet facilities.

But the rooms (pictured left) are stylish, have all the usual modcons and there's even a ground floor bakery selling great value food. The hotel also has a breakfast buffet, but you have to pay a bit extra to use it.

The only bad thing about this hotel for us is that it only has 13 rooms so you might not be able to snap one up quick enough at the value prices.

It's £40.32 per twin room per night and £49.28 per triple room per night so three people would pay £16.42 each.

Book via booking.com with a credit card. You can cancel for free up to 18:00 on the day before you arrive and you pay on arrival.

Another recommended hotel is slightly further out of town, but is a steal at £44.40 per twin room per night.

The four-star EuroHotel and Suites (pictured right) at Kronstadter Strasse 10 in Bogenhausen, is a four-star hotel with 137 well-presented rooms.

As well as all the expected mod cons like satellite TV and minibar, there's a sauna and a fitness centre.

It's a five-minute walk to the nearest S-bahn station, Berg am Laim, but it's only another two minutes from there on the train before you reach the city centre.

Better still, a taxi will have you in the centre in five minutes, depending on traffic.

Book via booking.com with a credit card. You can cancel for free up to 18:00 on the day before you arrive and you pay on arrival.


Cheap - £38.53 pr pn
If you don't mind spending 20 minutes on the S-bahn train to Marianplatz, the Golden Leaf Hotel at Therese-Giehse-Allee 76, Perlach.

It's a three-star 57-room hotel in the Perlach district to the south east of the city.

The Golden Leaf has 57 comfortable rooms (pictured left), each with satellite TV and a minibar.

You can also pay a bit extra for the breakfast buffet. It works out as £38.53 per twin room per night.

We particular recommend this to people hiring cars as it's close to the autobahn and avoids the hustle and bustle of the centre.

Book via booking.com with a credit card. You can cancel for free up to 18:00 on the day before you arrive and you pay on arrival.

Cheapest - £12.62

So you're not bothered about quality or privacy – you should want a place to get your head down for a few hours before the flight home.

You can get a bed in a 12-person dorm (pictured right) at the 4 You Munich Hostel in Hirtenstr 16 – right opposite the central train station – for £12.62. Eight-bed are a fiver more expensive and six-bed dorms are £7 more expensive.
You can also pay £21.63 per person per night for a twin room – but that's just as expensive as the four-star Euro Hotel mentioned above.

You can book a bed at this hostel with a Maestro or credit card at hostelbookers.com. You pay 10 per cent up front and the rest when you arrive. You can cancel up to 24 hours before arrival for free.

Friday, March 19

Co-op travel reveal £329 day trip for Munich

Details here.

Champion Spourt tours announce primary Munich plans


Champion Sports Tours has announced it will run a day trip and a two-day trip to Munich for United's match there on Tuesday March 30.

It's website said prices will hopefully be published tomorrow morning.

Quarter final date legs confirmed

The away leg will take place on Tuesday March 30. The home leg is eight days later.

Best Munich deals - post constantly updated throughout the day



From: Manchester
on: Monday March 29
To: Munich
back on: Wednesday March 31
Airline: bmi
Live price: £134.50 return

From: Stansted
on: Monday March 29
To: Munich
back on: Thursday April 1
Airline: easyJet
Live price: £131.58 return


From: Stansted
on: Monday March 29
To: Baden-Baden
back on: Wednesday March 31
Airline: Ryanair
Live price: £108.55
Then a four-hour train to Munich costing £65 booked in advance.



From: Gatwick
on: Monday March 29
To: Munich
on: Thursday April 1
Airline: easyJet
Live price: £162.98 return

Champions League draw - opponents guide


Bayern Munich

Many reds will have fond memories of United's last tip to south east Germany, when United competed in the four-team Audi Cup tournament last July.

Those who went speak of a carnival-like atmosphere with Bayern, Milan and even Boca Juniors fans joining in a celebration of booze and barbecues with reds over for some pre-season fun.

They got a chance to see the new (ish) Allianz Arena in full swing.

The capacity is 69,901 providing UEFA allow standing and United would get about 4,000 tickets - possibly more.





The city is well worth a visit. The centre has some excellent bars and some worthwhile tourist spots like the town hall and two of the world's most grand churches closeby.

And, of course, there is the second spiritual home of every red - the Munich Memorial - a great chance to pay your respects to the Busby Babes.

There are quite a few ways to reach Munich.

Here are the ones we have found. All prices are based on flying out on Monday March 29 and returning on Thursday April 1.

Flights
Munich
Manchester - Lufthansa, bmi, Sindapore Airlines, easyJet - £96
Gatwick - easyJet - £77
Stansted - easyJet, Air Berlin - £80
Heathrow - Lufthansa, bmi, British Airways - £140

Salzburg
Stansted - Ryanair - £86

Then a 100-minute train costing £34 return

Stuttgart
Stansted - germanwings, TUlfly, Air Berlin - £118
Heathrow - British Airways, bmi, Lufthansa - £160

Then a 2.20 train costing £34 return

Frankfurt
Stansted - Ryanair - £35
Edinburgh - Ryanair - £71

Then a 3.30 train costing £52 return

Dusseldorf
Leeds - Jet2 - £120
Stansted - Ryanair - £76
Birmingham - Ryanair - £80

Then a five-hour train costing £55 return

Zurich
Gatwick - easyJet - £102
Luton - easyJet - £109

Then a five-hour train costing £60 return

Cologne
Gatwick - eayJet £66
Stansted - germanwinges, TUlfly - £106

Then a 5.40 train costing £55 return

Dortmund
Luton - easyJet - £66

Then a 6.40 train costing £55 return

BREAKING NEWS: It's Bayern Munich!


United will face Bayern Munich over two legs in the UEFA Champions League quarter final.

The first leg is away and the second leg is home.

The first leg will take place on either March 30 or 31.
The second leg will take place on either April 6 or 7.

Exact dates will be announced in the next few minutes.

If United make it through, they play either Lyon or Bordeaux in the semi finals.

The full quarter-final draw is:

Lyon v Bordeaux
Bayern Munich v Manchester United
Arsenal v Barcelona
Inter Milan v CSKA Moscow

The full semi-final draw is:

Lyon/Bordeaux v Bayern Munich/Manchester United
Arsenal/Barcelona v Inter Milan/CSKA Moscow

United in the news


United are still hungry, says Carrick (Simon Stone, The Independent)

"We are playing some good stuff and have been on quite a good run lately. It is a good time to be doing it but we have no intention of finishing that now."
More.

Hargreaves takes first step on long road back for United (James Ducker, The Times)

The England midfield player showed no signs of discomfort as he played the first 45 minutes of the Manchester United reserve team’s 2-0 win over Burnley at Moss Lane.
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United await European draw (BBC Sport)

Manchester United and Arsenal could meet in the quarter-finals or semi-finals of the Champions League when the draws are made at 11:00 today.
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Giggs spurred on to beat Liverpool's league title record (Mark Ogden, Daily Telegraph)

“But as a United fan, for me it (surpassing Liverpool) comes into it because I grew up seeing Liverpool win everything."
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Darren Ferguson keen to turn sign United's Matty James (Daily Mail)

The 18-year-old has been outstanding on loan for Ferguson’s Preston side since arriving last month.
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United gear up for Champions League draw


Make a date with Reds Away as United embark on their next European adventure.

At some point between 11:00 and 12:00 today, the reds will discover who they will face in the UEFA Champions League quarter final - and we will be there to bring you all the latest news.

United can draw
Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Bordeaux, CSKA Moscow, Inter Milan or Lyon.

The draw for the semi final will also be made at the same time.
Later today we will bring you:

- The draw live
- The fastest information on when United will play the first and second leg
- The best flight deals
- Recommended alternative ways to get to the match, by train and car
- The best hotels
- Visa information should the reds draw CSKA Moscow
- Ticket allocation information
- answers to your ticket and travel questions sent to redsaway@hotmail.co.uk

Thursday, March 18

Last chance to apply for Blackburn tickets


Executive members and season ticket holders have one more to apply for tickets to see United play at Blackburn.

Applications close at 08:00 tomorrow and ballot results are out a week tomorrow.

United have been given about 6,900 tickets in the upper and lower tiers of the Darwen End at Ewood Park.

They will cost £35 for adults, £25 for over 65s and £15 for under 16s.

Apply online or by calling 0161 868 8000.

A full travel and pub guide will appear here shortly.

Wednesday, March 17

United in the news


Gerrard can face United (Phil Thomas, The Sun)

Attwell told FA chiefs he was warning Gerrard (pictured right) for his actions - meaning no further punishment will be meted out.
More.

Park believes he has finally silenced the sceptics (Richard Tanner, Daily Express)

The final seal of approval came from a posse of top managers who gathered for post-match drinks in Ferguson’s office after the 4-0 destruction of AC Milan.
More.

United fans target Oliver Gill after father David's pro-Glazer stance (Ian Ladyman, Daily Mail)

But concerns are growing at Old Trafford after Gill jnr was booed when his name was read out on Sunday.
More.

Eva is Real Madrid summer target (Tony Banks, Daily Express)

Evra is also a potential target but wants to stay at Old Trafford.
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Rangers want to avoid Glazer path (Roger Hannah, The Sun)

Alastair Johnston has vowed to prevent Rangers' next owners from saddling the club with Manchester United-like debt levels.
More.

Tuesday, March 16

Champions League draw countdown part 3


3 days to go

CSKA Moscow

And so the shocks keep on coming!

After coming away from the first leg with a 1-1 draw, Seville would have been confident of dispatching CSKA Moscow out of the contest.

But it was not to be as two Necid and Honda scored two crucial goals for the Russians sending them to the quarter final draw, which takes places at 11:00 on Friday.

United are certainly no strangers to CSKA and their tricky plastic pitch.

The two teams met in the group stages, with the reds bagging a valuable 1-0 win through a Valencia strike.

And, more famously, thousands of reds descended on CSKA's Luzhniki Stadium two seasons ago for the final against Chelsea - remember this? (...you might want to turn the volume down a bit if you're watching this at work).



So, should we draw Moscow on Friday, the three obvious questions would be - what would our allocation be, how would we get there and would we get visas in time?

The answers are - enough to satisfy demand, with difficulty, and maybe.

The first leg takes places 11 days after the draw and with most fans setting off as early as Monday March 29, that could leave as few as five working days to sort out a visa.

And, even if the away game was the second leg on either April 6 or 7, the Russian Embassy in London is already saying it won't post things out on April 2 or 5 because of Easter.

The main thing to remember is that the embassy says that, providing the visa applicant has followed the instructions, they should get their visa within seven days.

If we do draw Moscow, the sensible thing to do is choose a hotel and book it as quick as possible. booking.com offers many hotels which will only charge you on arrival and allow you to cancel at no cost up to 24 hours before arriving.

Doing this will allow your hotel to email you a letter 'inviting' you to Russia. You must have one of these in order to apply for a visa. All the other information you need about visas is here.
Providing you're willing to risk all of the above working out without a hitch, you can reach Moscow a few ways, though all are fairly expensive.

Flights:
To Moscow Domodedovo
Heathrow - Transaero Airlines, bmi, British Airways - £344
Heathrow with one overnight stop in Geneva - £236

To Moscow Sheremetyevo
Heathrow - Aeroflot - £361
To Riga
Liverpool - Ryanair - £150
Stansted - Ryanair - £85
Gatwick - Air Baltic

Then a 17-hour coach for £50 or a 17-hour train for £70
Train

London to Moscow via Cologne - £380 return, takes three days and would require a special visa as you'd travel through Belarus.

London to Moscow via Brussels, Cologne and Warsaw - £377, takes three days.
Helsinki to Moscow takes 13 hours by train and costs about £180 return, but there's no cheap way to reach Helsinki from Manchester to make it worthwhile.

One day left to join travel club


Red wishing to apply for tickets to see United play in the UEFA Champions League quarter final away leg must join the club's travel club by 20:00 tomorrow.

United, Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Lyon are in the last eight draw, with four more teams to be confirmed on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The draw for the quarter finals and semi finals then takes place at 11:00 on Friday in Switzerland. Sky Sports News will show it live.
The first leg will be on either March 30 or 31 and the second leg will be on either April 6 or 7.

Executive members, season ticket holders and One United members can apply but they must have joined the club's travel club by 20:00 on Wednesday. Details of the club are here and you can apply here.

They can then apply online or on 0161 868 8000 at anytime between 08:00 on March 20 to 08:00 on March 22.

Ballot results will be announced on the afternoon of March 22.

People with tickets must send United a travel report by 08:00 March 26 detailing how they plan to get to and from the game

All tickets will be posted out by special delivery.

United in the news


We have no money troubles, says Gill (Robin Scott-Elliot, The Independent)

David Gill (pictured right) has rejected claims the Glazers are working to an unsustainable business model at Old Trafford.
More.

Worker sacked over scarf (Owen Gibson, Irish Times)

A student working at Old Trafford has become the latest individual o claim he has felt the strength of the club’s backlash against protests targeting the Glazers.
More.

Turkish Airlines becomes sponsor to Manchester United (Todays Zaman)

THY, the 4th biggest airline company of Europe, will carry Manchester United to tournaments and training camps in all matches under the 3.5 year sponsorship agreement.
More.