Thousands of Manchester United fans have begun descending on Rome ahead of tonight’s massively anticipated Champions League final.

About 30,000 supporters are expected in the Italian capital ahead of the clash with FC Barcelona. A large number have also made the trip from Northern Ireland hoping to see United retain the trophy they won in dramatic fashion last year.

A major security operation is under way in the city, where an alcohol ban is in place around the Olympic stadium and at airports and railway stations.

While a large number of local fans are in Rome, many more will be packing out bars across the province tonight.

County Antrim man Peter McWhirter is one of the many fans who has made the trip to Rome without a ticket.

The Ballymena man is so confident of success that he booked his flight to Italy during the first half of the semi-finals a few weeks ago.

He said: “I don’t have a ticket. I am hoping to pick one up on the day. I know at the moment, from what I have heard, you are paying well into four figures. At the minute it’s out of my budget but we will see how it goes tomorrow — there may be more tickets circulating then. If it’s a few hundred quid I would happily pay.”

With tickets few and far between, Manchester United fan John McGettrick is hoping for a bit of help from above when he hits the streets of Rome today.

The Belfast-based solicitor will be among the estimated 5,000 football fans to travel to the Italian capital in search of an elusive Champions League Final seat — and has not ruled out paying a visit to the Catholic Church’s headquarters for a bit of divine intervention.

John, who was one of the fortunate few who watched United beat Bayern Munich in Barcelona a decade ago, explained fans were acutely aware tickets would be scarce — or overpriced — but were praying they would be able to get their hands on a few today.

“I am just hoping there will be more available when we get to Rome,” he said. “I am not willing to pay more than twice the price of the face value of a ticket. I have been offered tickets from £600, £800 to £1,000 and I have refused to pay it. It’s just too much.”

While there will be thousands of fans cheering on Sir Alex Ferguson’s side in dozens of pubs across the province tonight, one man is bravely swimming against the tide.

Alvaro Jaspe, a Spanish lecturer at the University of Ulster’s Magee campus, is throwing his support behind Barcelona tonight.

Alvaro, whose parents are both from the north west region of Spain, has been living in Northern Ireland for the past 18 years.

“I will be supporting Barcelona,” he told the Belfast Telegraph. “My parents are from the north west of Spain. Deportivo de La Coruna would be my team but I will be supporting Barcelona, just like most of Spain.

“I think Barcelona is going to win but I am going to put a bet on Manchester United,” he joked. “No, no I think Barcelona will do it 1-0.”