Tragedy strikes as fans celebrate

SEVILLE, Spain (Reuters) -- Celtic supporters turned Seville's old town into a blur of green, white and sunburned pink before Wednesday's UEFA Cup final but the party mood was shaken with news of the death of a Porto fan in a swimming accident.

While Scottish fans were celebrating their team's first European final in 33 years, a 17-year-old supporter of the Portuguese side drowned in the city's river Guadalquivir after going for a swim with friends.

The accident occurred while temperatures in the city were nudging 40 degrees celsius.

Celtic fans, some in kilts and with dyed green hair, were guzzling beer in the cobbled streets around the old town at a time locals usual reserve for a long siesta.

"There are more Celtic fans than Porto fans but we've told them we'll win on Wednesday to even things up," said Ruben Batista, a restaurant worker from Oporto.

At least 40,000 Celtic fans were expected for the match, despite the fact that the club had a ticket allocation of just 15,700.

Signs were up around the old town advertising tickets for sale on the black market and fans said they had been offered tickets for sale at 1,000 pounds (US$1,632) each.

"We had one as a back-up that cost us 400 pounds back in Glasgow but that's cheap now," said Eddie Gilroy, a lifelong Celtic fan.

Other fans in the city had come from the United States, Canada, Australia and all over Europe for Celtic's first European final since 1970.

"Everyone who does have a ticket is paranoid about losing it," said Gilroy. "When we go to the game we'll maybe hide them in our socks."

Bagpipes pride

Helen Mitchell from Aberdeen watched and listened with pride as her daughter called the tune on her bagpipes for singing fans.

"I've been to Spain before, on the Costa del Sol, and I didn't like it," she said. "This is something I've always wanted to do, though."

While Celtic fans arrived in Spain early to soak up the sun, most Porto supporters were planning to make the relatively short drive from neighboring Portugal much closer to kickoff.

There were no early reports of trouble, just the tragic news of the young fan's death, and in general the Porto supporters seemed to be enjoying the atmosphere.

One Portuguese family who had arrived in plenty of time accosted a traditionally dressed Celtic fan and tried to acquire photographic evidence of what, if anything, a Scotsman wears underneath his kilt.

"He's fine now but by Wednesday he won't be able to stand up with all that beer," said Antonio Guimares from Oporto.

 

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