Paul Saxton from Fan Fare is confident that their packages are the only way to do this properly. "You are taking a pretty big risk if you are hoping that some tout is on the level. Imagine paying £1,000 for a pair of tickets and then getting turned away at the gate because they're fakes. We are the only ones supplying official tickets from the club [Barcelona]. Some people want the full package, some just want hotel and tickets while some of our corporate groups also want us to sort out airport transfers, restaurants, tours and the best hotel in the city."

So who goes on a trip like this? The UK branch of the Barcelona Supporters Club? Nationwide League supporters wanting a bit of glamour that Deepdale is unlikely to provide? Or just people who enjoy quality football?

It's a bit of each - although those looking for quality football would be sorely disappointed on the night. "We had a great time, but we were gutted that there was no Ronaldo, Zidane or Saviola, as it is players like these that are the reason we come," says Jeff, who is here with his west London electrical contractors as part of a sales incentive'.

Corporate groups make up a big chunk of Fan Fare's clients. One particularly well-lubricated and raucous group from Warrington are singing their hearts out. "We want a special weekend for our customers," says their host, Neil. "Including the football gives them something more than just another hospitality bash. They will never forget this. Fan Fare organised the reverse fixture for us last year and next year they fancy the Rome derby."

Brentford-supporting brothers Gary and Keith are addicted to this type of thing. And not just Flamengo at the Maracana either, but Omenia Nicosia of Cyprus too. "We live Brentford every weekend, but coming here is different class. Let's face it, I don't think we will be seeing Ronaldo at Griffin Park anytime soon."

Most fans talk of wanting to see this Real Madrid side that looks more like a World XI with every transfer. Others talk about an alternative culture, superior skill, a crowd of 98,000 and the sheer kudos of seeing what is perceived as the ultimate derby - although fans from Buenos Aires, Glasgow and Cairo would all undoubtedly have something to say about that.

But however far you travel to savour football's rarified heights, you can never escape the pull of home. Rather than savouring the anticipation surrounding Figo's return to the Camp Nou, one Blackpool fan was dashing around the ground desperate to find out the result of his side's game with Crewe. Even the Brentford brothers seemed torn about missing the Bees' crucial Second Division clash against Wigan.

Meanwhile Terry and Liz Bates see this as a second honeymoon, Phil from Reading has managed to convince his boss that this was the only weekend for which he could possibly arrange a crucial business meeting in the city, and there is the chap who is including the game in his world tour of major sporting events to realise the book inside him about his experiences.

Then there is the obviously wonderful Mrs Carroll from Watford who, despite loathing football, surprised her husband and two boys by announcing the day before that they were going to see their all-time dream match...

Alex Olliver