Moscow "ready for fan influx"

By Chris Baldwin

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Moscow is as ready as it can be to cope with the influx of thousands of British fans expected when the Russian capital hosts this month's Champions League final, a city official said on Friday.

Moscow has been planning to host the May 21 match for two years but with two British clubs, Manchester United and Chelsea, facing each other, the fixture is likely to create huge logistical challenges for the organisers.

"The city of Moscow has taken every measure possible to ensure comfortable conditions for the thousands of international fans. For us this is an absolute priority," Moscow deputy mayor Valery Vinogradov said.

Arrangements are complicated by a diplomatic row between Moscow and London over the 2006 murder in London of Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko. The dispute has affected the issuing of some types of entry visa.

Chelsea and United have both been allocated 21,000 tickets for the match at the Luzhniki stadium.

Special measures at the Russian embassy in Britain are in place to ensure speedy visas for fans to travel, Russian officials have said.

FANS WAIT

"Thanks to a decision by the (Russian) Foreign Ministry, the organising committee has arranged to invite fans on the basis of a valid ticket and a passport," said Alexei Sorokin, the Russian Football Association's project manager for the final.