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Barca fly two days earlier due to volcano ash

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-25 16:39

Barcelona's coach Pep Guardiola boards a bus at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, May 24, 2011. Barcelona and Manchester United will play in the Champions League final at Wembley stadium on Saturday. [Photo/Agencies]

MADRID - Spanish giants Barcelona flew to London two days earlier for the UEFA Champions League final due to the ash cloud from an Icelandic volcano, which is severely affecting air travel.

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The squad had intended to leave on Thursday for Saturday's final at Wembley against Manchester United, but traveled on Tuesday night due to the uncertainty caused by ash from the Grimsvoetn volcano.

Coach Pep Guardiola and his players arrived at Barcelona airport by bus and boarded a plane bound for London Stansted which took off at 22:00 (20h00 GMT).

"We weren't making a decision based on any previous experience good or bad," said team spokesman Toni Freixa. "We were looking for the zero risk for our team and maximum service for our fans."

Barca had lost their Champions League semifinal at Inter Milan last year after suffering a travel trouble. The squad traveled 1,000 kilometers by coach to Milan because the ash cloud from another Icelandic volcano Eyjafjoell disrupted air travel throughout Europe.