Europa League 2010/2011 (Final : Aviva Stadium, 18th May)

**Hurt Locker** · 05/05/2011, 9:25 PM

Braga V Porto greatest sporting event ever to come to Ireland according to TV3.................... don't believe the hype!

**Closed Account 2** · 05/05/2011, 10:42 PM

I have to be honest, all credit to Braga, but Benfica - Porto is one of those classic European games (I want to say great European derby but 300km says its not really a derby)

**hoops1** · 06/05/2011, 8:00 AM

Does anybody know who the co-commentator was on tv3 last night? Alan? Was it Alan Brazil

**KK77** · 06/05/2011, 8:09 AM

Anyone who applied in the ballot and didn't get tickets can log on tomorrow morning from 9am until Monday for tickets. I am sure you all got the email.

**pineapple stu** · 06/05/2011, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by hoops1

Does anybody know who the co-commentator was on tv3 last night? Alan? Was it Alan Brazil

Alan Kelly I think. English accent, but he mentioned losing two play-offs for Sheffield United at one stage.

**superfrank** · 06/05/2011, 11:25 AM

It was Alan Kelly. He seemed to really rate the Braga keeper.

I'm delighted Braga got through. They've had a great season in Europe and it's great that they have something to show for it. I imagine Porto will blow them away in the final, though.

Braga did their job perfectly last night. Got the goal and then just sat back and soaked up Benfica's pressure. Benfica only had a few good chances and I still don't know how Saviola didn't get a proper connection on Luisao's header towards the end.

**geysir** · 06/05/2011, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by Hurt Locker

Braga V Porto greatest sporting event ever to come to Ireland according to TV3.................... don't believe the hype!

When you think about it, at the very least it's up there. There have been a couple of HC rugby finals, the Special Olympics - I can't think of any other big sporting occasion to come to Ireland. Even if its just the B Final, it's still a Euro Final and will attract a wide tv audience.

**Hurt Locker** · 06/05/2011, 1:06 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

When you think about it, at the very least it's up there. There have been a couple of HC rugby finals, the Special Olympics - I can't think of any other big sporting occasion to come to Ireland. Even if its just the B Final, it's still a Euro Final and will attract a wide tv audience.

Boxing, Golf, Horse Racing would differ.
On the whole plattinni deservers credit for giving Dublin the event, no doubt it will boost the countries image, give a boost to a flagging economy.

**DeLorean** · 06/05/2011, 1:45 PM

In terms of appeal, we could scarcely have done worse than a Porto Braga final. We might have been better off with Rangers

**Closed Account 2** · 06/05/2011, 2:28 PM

Braga's attendence last night was reported to be around 7211 (admittedly this is from goal.com) but their stadium holds 32,000 and it did look about a quarter full at best. I would be suprised if they took more than 5,000 for the final; Porto might take 10,000, maybe 15,000 at an absolute max.

**Dodge** · 06/05/2011, 2:37 PM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

In terms of appeal, we could scarcely have done worse than a Porto Braga final. We might have been better off with Rangers

Appeal for who? For someone like me who wants to buy faceprice ticket, its absolutely appealing.

**DeLorean** · 06/05/2011, 2:54 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Appeal for who? For someone like me who wants to buy faceprice ticket, its absolutely appealing.

Appeal for the vast majority of people who are generally more interested in matches between big well known clubs than smaller ones. I'm sure the world would take a lot more notice of the Irish final and our nice new stadium if it was, say, Juventus v Liverpool. I had previously suggested that tickets should be much easier to obtain if Braga made the final.

**Dodge** · 06/05/2011, 3:19 PM

Relax, it was a rhetorical question. just pointing out that I'm happy about the outcome

**Closed Account 2** · 06/05/2011, 3:29 PM

If you want to go I'd say your best bet is to hang around the stadium just before kick off, I would imagine you could pick up a ticket for less than €10.

**superfrank** · 06/05/2011, 5:00 PM

Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo

Braga's attendence last night was reported to be around 7211 (admittedly this is from goal.com) but their stadium holds 32,000 and it did look about a quarter full at best. I would be suprised if they took more than 5,000 for the final; Porto might take 10,000, maybe 15,000 at an absolute max.

Where you even watching the match? The Braga stadium had way more than a "quarter full at best".

Wikipedia has a quote of 25,000 but there's no link for it. I can't find any figures on Portuguese sites but I imagine it's a lot closer to 25,000 than 7,000.

**thesilverfox** · 07/05/2011, 11:25 AM

Got my tickets this morning. Easy enough to get if you were on at 9am but the €50 tickets (Block 512) seem to have went fairly quickly. Wouldnt have paid any more for them either. Ethough I always would support the underdog on an occasion like this, I have to support Porto. If they win, Rovers get into the 3rd qualifying round in July. Hopefully its an entertaining game.

**Closed Account 2** · 07/05/2011, 2:27 PM

Originally Posted by superfrank

Where you even watching the match? The Braga stadium had way more than a "quarter full at best".

Wikipedia has a quote of 25,000 but there's no link for it. I can't find any figures on Portuguese sites but I imagine it's a lot closer to 25,000 than 7,000.

I saw the second half, wasn't a great game tbh.

As I say Goal is giving it as 7211, and if you search "Braga Benfica 7211" you get some french and dutch sites listing it as that.

**geysir** · 07/05/2011, 4:03 PM

The Braga Benfica game was a sell out, from what I could see on the tv.

**Stuttgart88** · 08/05/2011, 9:01 AM

Anyone got an idea on the likely attendance? Braga can't even fill their own small stadium. Porto v Benfica would have been the better event, but Braga probably deserve to be there.

I hope for football & the FAI's sake that it's a sell out. IO suspect it won't be though. It's a pity we didn't get the CL final instead!

**tetsujin1979** · 08/05/2011, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Anyone got an idea on the likely attendance? Braga can't even fill their own small stadium. Porto v Benfica would have been the better event, but Braga probably deserve to be there.

I hope for football & the FAI's sake that it's a sell out. IO suspect it won't be though. It's a pity we didn't get the CL final instead!

think there's a minimum limit on the size of a stadium for the CL final, and the Aviva doesn't meet the requirements