Many ecstatic Tottenham Hotspur fans will miss the club`s Europa League trophy parade scheduled for Friday because they are still traveling home after Wednesday`s final in Bilbao.
An estimated 30,000 Spurs supporters made the long trip to Spain for the historic match against Manchester United. Their journeys involved various modes of transport, including lengthy drives across the continent, numerous connecting flights, and even a demanding 32-hour ferry crossing from Portsmouth.
While getting to Bilbao was a significant undertaking demonstrating immense loyalty, the return trip is proving just as, if not more, difficult.
Flights from Bilbao were prohibitively expensive, with some desperate fans reportedly paying over £1,000 for a single ticket. Attempting to return quickly on Thursday, the day after the final, meant facing similarly high costs.
The combination of high prices and a limited number of direct international flights from Bilbao has resulted in many fans having to take complex, indirect routes to get back to the UK.
One season ticket holder, for example, is flying from Bilbao to Tenerife and will spend 20 hours there before finally arriving back in Birmingham late on Friday night.
Another pair, father and son Neil and Leo from Hampshire, who traveled by ferry booked months in advance, won`t even depart Bilbao until Saturday. They anticipate celebrating the club`s first trophy in 17 years at the upcoming home game against Brighton on Sunday.
Some fans embraced the travel chaos. Ben from Essex jokingly remarked that he hadn`t booked a return journey at all, half-seriously suggesting he might relocate to Spain.
His friend Paul, determined to get back by Friday morning, planned a five-hour bus trip from Bilbao to Madrid, followed by a flight to London via Rome. He aimed to land at Heathrow late on Thursday night, hoping to arrive in time for the victory parade.
Two friends certain to miss the celebration are Zak and Tyler, who flew all the way from Florida just for the match. They encountered significant issues simply getting to Bilbao, including difficulty finding accommodation or transport links like flights, trains, or buses into the city.
Their solution involved flying to Madrid, renting a car, and driving to Bilbao. Unable to find a hotel, they ended up renting a van and sleeping in it overnight. After the match, they drove the van back to Madrid.
Having not planned for potential celebrations in London, the pair are now heading to Budapest for a “calmer time.” Zak admitted he would have liked to attend the parade but “just didn`t think that far ahead.”
Marcus Bellamy