Let's start with a UEFA statement taken from their website:

"UEFA has been working tirelessly in recent years within the campaign to ensure that football matches are a pleasure to attend for the game’s enthusiasts and protagonists"

I may not be going to Moscow in a few weeks time, but if I was, my idea of this match being "a pleasure to attend" seems to be somewhat different to that of UEFA and the Russian Authorities.

In their mission statement, they also state this, as one of their responsibilities to the game. To...

"Promote positive sporting values, including fair play and anti-racism, as well as safe and secure match environments."

Now, safe and secure match environments? Athens hosted last year's final, one I attended. A ground chosen to host the European Cup Final. The same venue that was described by a senior UEFA official as "not a ground designed for football". It was an athletics stadium, not designed to cope with 70,000 fans arriving in a short period of time. It was designed for athletics fans to come and go, to roam freely around the open land around the stadium and come and go throughout the day. A completely different set up than that required for football matches. The stadium didn't even have turnstiles. So much for providing safe and secure match environments, and especially at UEFA's Flagship event of the year.

As for the racism stance. The same UEFA that fined entire nations pathetic five figure sums as a punishment for racist abuse at games? The Zenit St.Petersberg manager came out only yesterday, stating that he is not allowed to sign any black players, the fans and club wouldn't allow it. This side are in the UEFA Cup final. What are you going to do about that UEFA?

UEFA are going to allow United and Chelsea fans to be picked up at the airports in Moscow and held in "Gulags" all day, before being driven to the ground in prison style buses, some as early as 4 or 5 hours before the game. Then depending on flight times, some will be held in the ground after the game for up to 6 hours while they gradually let fans out. "A pleasure to attend for the game's enthusiasts...".

Gulag - "the Gulag system has become primarily known as a place for political prisoners and as a mechanism for repressing political opposition to the Soviet state".

Or football fans it seems.

Fans travelling on organised trips to Moscow, being forced to pay a minimum of £900 just to get there, only to be treated like a prisoner throughout their stay, purely for being a football fan. How do you plan to manage and control the thousands of other fans UEFA that have booked flights independently and will be roaming around Moscow and surrounding areas for days?

I suppose you'll all be ok though in your 5 star hotels and being driven to the game in luxury. Close the curtains and ignore what's going on outside. Why should you care after all? Not as if you're meant to have the best interests of the game and the treatment of fans as part of your mission statement is it?

"UEFA has been working tirelessly in recent years within the campaign to ensure that football matches are a pleasure to attend for the game’s enthusiasts and protagonists"

Don't make me laugh.

Where did you read/hear that?

Great post, why not send it to UEFA?

DICK ADVOCAAT rocked Russian football yesterday by admitting Zenit St Petersburg fans are racists.

With Moscow preparing to host the Champions League Final on May 21, Advocaat confessed his club have no black players because their fans would never accept them.

The former Scotland's Shame FC and Holland manager - who guided Zenit to a 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich in Thursday's UEFA Cup semi-final first leg - insists he would have to ask the fans' permission before buying a black player and that they were unlikely to give it.

Zenit, whose top supporter is Russian president-elect Dmitry Medvedev, are the only club in Russia who have never fielded a black player.

Medvedev takes over the Kremlin next month and Advocaat's admission is a huge embarrassment.

The Dutchman said: "I would be happy to sign anyone but the fans don't like black players."

When Advocaat tried to sign Frenchman Mathieu Valbuena recently, the first question on fans' websites was: "Is he a negro?"

Advocaat said: "The problem is our fans. Quite honestly, I do not understand how they could pay so much attention to skin colour. For me there's no difference between white, black or red.

"But the fans are the most important thing Zenit have. That's why I have to ask them outright how they'll react if we sign a dark-skinned player.

"Frankly the only players who can make Zenit stronger are dark-skinned. Look at the Brazilians who play for CSKA."

But Advocaat admitted if the fans did not want black players, he wouldn't buy any.

Advocaat is just as bad. If he felt that strongly, then he'd resign.

Looking forward to being deafened by the silence from Uefa.

Russia has a huge problem with racists and hooligans.

On the positive side, at least the club listenes to their fans. If only more club over here did that!

Do you think if Zenit tried to sign Ronaldinho, the fans would make an exception?

Watermelon Man - there are no positives to this!! None whatsoever.

If Zenit want to play in Uefa sponsored competitions then at the very least they should be expected to uphold their stance on racism!

No

Agreed. This whole 'kick racism out of football' bit really goes out the window in certain places doesn't it?

I dont know much about Zenit, should be interesting to learn about them in the UEFA Cup final.

Also, how the hell can they get away with such public attitudes?

Different country all together. Don't play by the Human rights and Political correctness rules which ours pay lip service to.

As for UEFA who knows. We all know they are a bunch of corrupt w*nkers anyway. Maybe a few brown envelops go under the table and nothing is said.

That must be the case.

Rangers were fined £13,300 and banned from singing 'Hullo Hullo we are the billy boys' and 'upto our knees in fenian blood' and also threatened with a £25000 fine and a closure of a stand. There's a Zenit fan pictured being dressed as the KKK and they have publicly stated that their fans are racist and they won't sign any black player yet they are welcomed with open arms by Uefa.

I'd boot the racist kunts out of the final and all future comps! Could be nasty in Manchester with Rangers fans taking over the whole city and stadium and the possible abuse Zenit will dish out to Daniel Cousin, Darcheville, Beasley and Amdy Faye.

Yes I expect booing of black players and a huge uproar in this country, Zenit will stay stum and UEFA will fine them peanuts.

Seems to be as we are the home of football whatever we do others will follow - so they treat us with comtempt unless we are like robots. Agree that it is double standards with UEFA when the violence in Poland and Russia is looked over but one small incident over here everyone is suddenly scum.

Racism is a big problem in eastern Europe. Banner from a game I was at the Ukraine when we played there last October

If that was in Britain there would be a huge fine from UEFA - and rightly so - but nothing was mentioned of it and we were actually warned for setting off flares in the ground instead!

It's actually quite mind boggling when you see pictures like that. Just goes to show though.

There was no booing of black players when they were playing us at Goodison. They were quite a good bunch of fans enjoying a sing song with us in the winslow. Unlike the geordies on sunday, there was a few slaps getting dished out.