Source: Liverpool_Echo
Benfica Europa League trip will herald biggest Everton exodus in 25 years
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EVERTON will be backed by the biggest European exodus of Evertonians for 25 years in Lisbon on Thursday.
The Blues have officially sold close to five-and-a-half thousand tickets for the eagerly anticipated trip to the Stadium of Light against Benfica.
But many more fans are expected to travel independently and occupy home sections of the stadium - making it the largest away following since the successful European Cup Winners' Cup campaign of 1985.
The biggest number of away fans to leave Goodison since then went to Nuremburg two years ago.
Everton officially sold their total allocation of 3,500 tickets for that UEFA Cup tie - but such was the appeal of the fixture thousands more were crammed into home sections of the stadium.
A huge army also travelled to Villarreal for the Champions League qualifier of 2005, but with the Stadium of Light boasting an official capacity of 64,500, effectively any Evertonians who want to make the trip will be able to do so.
Benfica warmed up for Thursday's match with a 6-0 thrashing of Monsanto in the third round of the Portuguese Cup - taking their goals tally for the season to a remarkable 37 in 12 games.
