Tonight, Manchester United play Chelsea at the Luzhini Stadium in Moscow, the capital of Russia, in the first ever all-English final and many fans longed to go but said they could not afford the flight.

25 year old Martin Sheehan, a Manchester United fan, has proved all the sceptics wrong. Many thought that Moscow was a poor choice of destination for the Champions League Final because of the cost of getting there, however, Martin managed to get to Moscow from England on only £85.

The trip was 3,000 miles there and back and Martin set off on Saturday 17th May, giving him a total of five days to get there.

He flew from Liverpool to Stockholm, then from Stockholm to Riga, the capital of Latvia. From Riga he caught a bus to Moscow and arrived at 10am on the morning of the match.

In an interview with the Daily Mirror, Martin said he had heard people say it would be impossible to make the final without catching a direct flight and his response to that opinion was:

“Some people can’t do it because they haven’t got the time or they have kids. But if you have got the time it’s so easy.”

So, as this enterprising fan has proved, if you really want it badly enough, there are bargain holidays and flights to be had on a shoestring budget.

On the 21st May 2008, the UEFA Championship League Final will make its way to the capital of Russia, Moscow.  The final is to be hosted at the Luzhniki Stadium.  Moscow is a city that many people would say they never thought they would visit, but now it is open to tourists and is fast becoming a cosmopolitan luxury holiday destination.

Moscow has never hosted a European Championship Final (more…)