Around 50,000 English supporters are in the city for Wednesday night's European Cup final.

And United fan Jim Wilson 43, a gas fitter from Barrow-in-Furness, said: "Nobody speaks English and there were no signs in English, on the Underground or anywhere else.

"You would think they would try to help us as the match is being played here.

"I'm staying on a cruise liner where they've made some rooms available and it took hours to find it after arriving in the country yesterday.

"The police seem quite relaxed but we will have to see if that survives all through the day.''

Fellow United fans Mike Shortall, 57, an electrician from Ealing, west London, and John Kehoe 43, a builder from Solihull - both originally from Carlow in Ireland - had just arrived on a train from Helsinki.

"We went there because the flight to Russia was too expensive,'' Mr Shortall said.

"We are going to try to find a hotel but are not very hopeful because the whole place is very busy.''

United fan Keith Heppenstall, 48, a district nurse from Oldham, said: "It's one of the most difficult places I've been to follow the team. The language problem is the biggest thing.''