EXPERIENCED Euro Reds have been known to use any means to watch their team on the continent writes Chris Sudlow

The advent of low-cost airlines like EasyJet, Buzz and Go have proved a lifesaver for fans on a tight budget.

Flights to Nice in France to watch United in Italy (via train); Geneva or Zurich in Switzerland for Germany; Berlin and onward by train for the Ukraine. There is no end to their ingenuity.

But two Reds proved this week that careful planning is necessary if the venture is to be successful.

They discovered too late on Monday that all direct flights to Coruna for the clash with Deportivo in North-west Spain were booked.

Fly to Santiago, and get a taxi, they were told. It's only a couple of hours away.

It was some hours into their flight when they realised their dreadful mistake.

The travel agent had booked them to Santiago - in Chile!

Reportedly they had a good time watching the game on TV in a bar surrounded by bemused locals, but I'll bet the 13-hour flight back from South America gave them some food for thought.

Meanwhile, Nicky Butt could finally take centre stage in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

For so long overshadowed, Butt has given consistently professional performances when called on this season. Neat and tidy, making hardly any mistakes, he has been quietly outstanding.

With the injured Roy Keane and suspended Paul Scholes definitely out, and question marks over the fitness of Juan Sebastian Veron and David Beckham, he could finally become the main man in midfield at last.

EXPERIENCED Euro Reds have been known to use any means to watch their team on the continent.

The advent of low-cost airlines like EasyJet, Buzz and Go have proved a lifesaver for fans on a tight budget.

Flights to Nice in France to watch United in Italy, via train; Geneva or Zurich in Switzerland for Germany; Berlin and onward by train for the Ukraine. There is no end to their ingenuity.

But two Reds proved this week that careful planning is an absolute must if the venture is to be successful.

They discovered too late on Monday that all direct flights to Coruna for the clash with Deportivo in North-west Spain were booked.

Fly to Santiago, and get a taxi, they were told. It's only a couple of hours away.

It was some hours into their flight when they realised their dreadful mistake.

The travel agent had booked them to Santiago - in Chile!

Reportedly they had a good time watching the game on TV in a bar surrounded by bemused locals, but you would expect the 13-hour flight back from South America will have given them some food for thought.

Meanwhile, Nicky Butt could finally take centre stage in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

For so long overshadowed, Butt has given consistently professional performances when called on this season. Neat and tidy, making hardly any mistakes, he has been quietly outstanding.

With the injured Roy Keane and suspended Paul Scholes definitely out, and question marks over the fitness of Juan Sebastian Veron and David Beckham, he could finally become the main man in midfield at last.