DAVIN O'DWYERhas a round-up of soccer deals
Serie A
The Premiership teams established their European primacy this week, dispatching the remaining Italian clubs in dramatic fashion. Despite their Champions League decline, a trip to see the big Italian teams in action in Serie A is still a delight for football fans.
Celtic Horizon Tours (www.celtichorizontours.com, 01-6292000, 021-4377501) is offering packages to games at San Siro stadium, home to AC Milan and champions Internazionale. The packages start at €189 per person, with two nights in a four-star hotel and match ticket, but not flights or transfers.
The juiciest ties, such as Inter vs Lazio, on May 3rd, and Milan vs Roma, on May 24th, cost from €259.
SportsBreaks.ie (www.sportsbreaks.ie, 061-204444) has an offer for the Inter v Lazio game for €219pps, including two nights’ three-star accommodation and match ticket, or a similar package to the Milan vs Juventus game on May 10th for €409.
La Liga
Moving to Spanish teams, Barcelona put five past the French champions, Lyon, during the week, burnishing their reputation as the most talented attacking team in Europe.
Keith Prowse (www.keithprowse.com, 01-8783500) is offering packages to see the extraordinary forward triumvirate of Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi in action at the Nou Camp from €253 per person sharing. Packages include two nights’ accommodation in a three-star hotel, a tour of the stadium and tickets to a game against Malaga on March 21st, Sevilla on April 21st, Villareal on May 9th or Atletico Osasuna on May 23rd.
Real Madrid got a tonking at Anfield on Tuesday, but they’re not out of the La Liga race yet, and Keith Prowse is offering a package of a ticket and two nights in a hotel to see them at the Bernabeau stadium from €212 per person sharing. Opponents include Almeria on March 21st, Real Valladolid on April 11th, Getafe on April 21st or Mallorca on May 23rd. There is also limited availability for the derby against Barcelona on May 2nd, one of the biggest games in club football; that package costs from €797.