CL still ***** all over Europa for me Scouse, no matter how you dress it up.
Yes you can get some great trips, but for every great trip you could equally get an utter ***** one like Israel, Russia or god knows else where some minnow club comes from.
Yeah, as a competition it naturally does. There's no higher level of football anywhere. ****** all over even the WC in that regard for me.
But most of it is repetitive, boring ***** going to the same places year-on-year. For as much as people decry the Europa there's some absolute gem trips in there. Madrid, Barcelona, Munich. They all have their place of course. But give me a trip like Myoa47 way back when in the middle of a Finish forest where there wasn't even a proper road to the ground! Or Spartak Vladikavkaz in war-torn Chechnya, being escorted in by Russian Migs either side the plane as there were only 37 of us went and only one plane full of players, fans and press. You've not lived until you've been bevvying it flanked by Russian army guys watching missiles fly through the air in the distance! lol. That no-mark Finish side who's name escapes me that had a frigging Ski jump the ground and a mate so head over heals with a native holding up the flight home trying to blag her on the plane getting as far as the gate! I could go on and on but the point is small clubs in small places you'd never normally dream of going to are often WAY better than going the Bernabeau or San Siro.
Recent example was last year. I've been exceptionally lucky to of seen L'pool live in 4 European Cup finals (or not in 1985 with those horrors), 2 UEFA Cup finals and 2 Super Cup's. Been doing Euro aways on a regular basis since we got back in after the ban. (The ban coming at just the wrong time in my teenage years going the match.). And honestly, if we'd beaten Sevilla, last year would of been the most enjoyable campaign by a Country mile. 2005 included. It just got better and better every round. From the first game Bordeaux, which started in a gorgeous little French town Bergerac, with a tractor pulling the plane and a makeshift cattle shed as passi control amongst other moments of absolute hilarity amidst brilliant French wine those three days. Through the one trip I missed, Kazan, which has lead to some boss tales in a real friendly Russian town. Who also happens to hate Moscow and the rest of Russia which helps. Onto Switzerland at Christmas time through Zurich, to the most picture perfect cabin in a tiny little alpine village Conthey just outside Sion, then a great night in Geneva on the way home. Onto Germany and a great little place in Augsburg (although where ISN'T great in Bavaria?), and blagging our way into a civil reception dinner for the team before Ian Ayre ruined our fun! With an awesome night in Munich the way home. Not that these aren't CL-esq but walloping you lads all over in front of the rest of Europe and then the mutual Klopp love-in with our mates in Dortmund through to Villareal and stopping the best place in Spain, Valencia, a short train ride away. Then back to Switzerland for the final in Basle.
Put that all together with more or less each trip topping the last, and I've honestly never had as much fun through a European campaign as last year's Europa run. With the added bonus of altering things slightly in our itinerary and going out the day of games on the Thursday, allowing us a hassle free and quiet Friday and Saturday when most had gone home to explore and write some brilliant tales into the memory.
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