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Thu, 24th Apr 2008
Home fixture double-headers don't come much bigger than the one Stamford Bridge hosts over the next week and while the stadium should be at its most passionate, efforts will be made to ensure it is also at its most colourful for the visit of Liverpool next week.
Flags have become as much a part of Champions League nights at the Bridge as the pre-kick-off anthem and referees from foreign parts and 30,000 new flags will be placed in the stands for next Wednesday night.
There will also be the new giants flags you may have noticed flying high in recent weeks and supporters can play their part by adding to the colour and by filling the stadium early to build the atmosphere prior to the whistle.
This season, one free flag has been placed at every other seat but against Liverpool, there will be a flag awaiting at each seat in the regular parts of the stadium.
'With it being the last Champions League game of the season at home, but hopefully not our last Champions League game, we want to have a fantastic atmosphere,' says Wesley Barton, stadium tours supervisor who is much-involved in the flag project.
'It creates a bit of atmosphere seeing that sea of blue when the players come out and it is great for TV as well.
'Anything to try to inspire the players is worth it. We have heard the players do like it and anything to give them that extra one per cent is valuable.'
At the last few matches there has been a new addition to the flags, based on successful displays originally seen in stadia overseas.
'We now have a few giant flags waved in front of the West Stand. We trialled them for a couple of Premier League games to use them for this game [liverpool]. It is some of the tour guides that actually wave them,' explains Barton.
Free flags have been placed around the stadium en masse since October last season. They were handed out in smaller numbers on entry at a few league games before that.
'The first game we placed them at the seats was when we hosted Barcelona in the group stage. We beat them 1-0 and Drogba scored that great goal. We did every seat then as well,' recalls Barton.
'Most of the fans take them home. I think most people have about ten flags in their bedroom, but we try to encourage them to bring them back as well.
'We have seen a few brought back for Premier League games and it would be great if people could keep bringing them back and build on the atmosphere.'
atmosphere