The Final Countdown

Kick-off in the 2005 Champions League final between AC Milan and Liverpool is now just hours away in Istanbul.

Many Liverpool fans are already in Turkey, with thousands more arriving by the hour, and the Reds contingent will outnumber their Italian counterparts.

The atmosphere in the city is building, but with the ground on the outskirts, fans are being warned to set off early.

Liverpool, who go into the game as underdogs, may prefer Djibril Cisse to Milan Baros and also play Harry Kewell.

As the countdown to kick-off continues, we'll bring you the latest updates from our reporting team in the city, and fans heading to the ground. Text 81111 with your updates, or contribute via the 606 message board...


'Come to daddy' - seduction techniques.


'Milan won't know whats hit them' - Stevie G wants to celebrates by taking the cup to his local


CMon you reds! - Fans already in Istanbul


Too much kebabs - Too little time - Turk Support


And this is the Ataturk Stadium - where the Biggest game of European Club Football will be played tonight.

LATEST UPDATES FROM FANS...

1220: Liverpool fan, via text
Me and my friends are gutted we couldn't get tickets to the final, but we're ready and waiting in the same pub in which we saw the Reds beat Juventus and Chelsea.

1200: Prime Minister Tony Blair

wishes Liverpool the "best of luck" in the first Prime Minister's Questions of the new parliament. Leader of the Opposition Michael Howard - a Reds supporter - takes "particular pleasure" in seconding his political rival's statement.

1145: Liam on Merseyside, via text
I'm just about to have a big fry-up and set off for town. The nerves have started to set in now with all the coverage kicking in.

1130: COTR, via 606 message boards
I've just bought a new Liverpool top this morning with tonight's winning goalscorer on it - Alonso. We have to win. The omens are in our favour. I'm not even contemplating losing.


1025: Liverpool fan, via text
Utter shambles at Luton Airport, with some planes to Istanbul now not due to leave until 11:40, over four hours late.

1020: From SK, via text from Taksim Square
Heard a rumour the formation will be 4-4-1-1 with Kewell playing behind Cisse. My mate paid £350 for a ticket on the black market. The Milan fans are enjoying themselves with us even though they're not having a bevvie. Time for more raki I say!

0950: BBC Five Live correspondent Alastair Yeomans
This is the calm before the storm, but from what I've seen of Istanbul this city doesn't do calm. This is a huge noisy sprawling city where high-rise splendour stands alongside sprawling poverty - many people have compared it to Sao Paolo.

Liverpool fans have been listening to warnings that the usual one-hour journey from the city to the stadium could take as much as three hours. People are blaming poor infrastructure but that is a little harsh considering that at least 50,000 extra people have been dumped on this city.

0945: Uefa urges fans to allow up to three hours to get from Istanbul city centre to the Atataurk Stadium. Chief Superintendent Dave Lewis of the Merseyside police says: "Frustration with transport is going to be a problem - especially after the match."

0925: BBC Five Live's Shelagh Fogarty reports as Liverpool fans board the last Istanbul-bound flight to leave Liverpool's John Lennon Airport

The airport is swathed in Reds banners. One has a Liverpool team sheet, numbered one to 11, with Jamie Carragher against each number and the conclusion: 'If only'

Another refers to the late lamented former captain Emlyn Hughes. "Bring it home for Crazy Horse".

0910: Mr T, Istanbul, via text
Everywhere is a sea of red. The atmosphere last night was absolutely extraordinary. Every single side street off the main drag had bars packed full of Liverpool fans. It was all totally peaceful - and brilliantly handled by the local authorities. They've effectively divided the city in half, with Liverpool fans in the Asian part of the city and Milan supporters in the European parts, so we haven't see a single Italian so far...

0850: BBC Five Live's Matt Williams
Taksim Square is packed out. Police tell us there has been a minor scuffle between fans but there's generally no trouble and there's a good atmosphere with lots of singing.

0840: Mark Lawrenson, BBC Sport pundit
It's good to see the build-up in Istanbul. As a player it passes you by as you're closeted in your hotel. My feelings at the moment? By hook or by crook, Liverpool are going to win.

0815: Alan Green, BBC Five Live commentator
It is an enticing possibility that Harry Kewell could redeem himself in a Liverpool shirt. He'll interchange well with Luis Garcia and Steven Gerrard will come from deeper. It's interesting and will give AC Milan something to think about - although I'm not sure it's true. A predicition? I have a conviction that Liverpool's name is on this cup.

0740: Jonathan Legard, BBC football correspondent
The big rumour is that Harry Kewell could start with Djibril Cisse in attack, they were in the same team at training last night doing a fair amount of interplay. Dietmar Hamann will be the one to miss out.

0705: Liverpool's injured goalkeeper Chris Kirkland before catching his flight to Istanbul
I'm gutted not to be involved but it's part and parcel of football and I've got to cheer the lads on now. The gaffer will have his tactics, but one thing's for sure, we can't be scared of AC Milan.

0620: Graham Taylor, BBC Sport football pundit
It's going to be a tight game, very cagey. The force is with Liverpool, and as much as my heart is telling me it's got to be Liverpool, you cannot under-estimate AC Milan. They're extremely good when they put it all together.

0615: BBC Five Live's Matt Williams
There are already hundreds of fans in the main square and clearly a lot of them haven't gone to bed. The bars are just opening now and Liverpool's day in the Turkish sun is just beginning.