Champions League final: Liverpool call for investigation into ‘unacceptable problems’ facing fans

Liverpool have called for an investigation into the “unacceptable problems” faced by fans that delayed their Champions League final against Real Madrid.

The match at the Stade de France in Paris didn’t start until 20:36 BST, With Real beating Liverpool 1-0.

Police outside on the ground fired tear gas as a handful of supporters tried to climb over the security fence.

UK sport minister Nigel Huddleston tweeted: “We are deeply concerned about the unpleasant scenes surrounding the Stade de France last night and will be working with authorities to find out what happened and why.”

Liverpool defender Andy Robertson speak The organization of the match took place “indiscriminately”.

Merseyside Police said their officers were deployed in Paris and attended the match “reporting that the majority of fans behaved exemplary, arriving at the turnstile early and lining up as directed”.

“Our officers returning today will conduct a formal interrogation to ensure that we can fully support any follow-up investigation following last night’s game,” the assistant said. Constable Chief Chris Green said.

Merseyside Police match day officers tweeted it was “the worst game in Europe I’ve ever worked or been through”.

They added: “I think the behavior of the fans at the turnstile is exemplary in shocking situations. You guys weren’t 100% late.”

Liverpool Mayor Joanne Anderson criticized “the bad management and brutal treatment of the fans” and said she would write to Foreign Secretary Liz Truss “to demand answers from Uefa and let [France’s] President Emmanuel Macron to investigate”.

Liverpool fan group Spirit of Shankly said the situation was “absolutely terrible and extremely dangerous.”

The image emerged amid huge crowds of fans queuing to get in.

Many claimed they were at the stadium hours before the match started but were blocked from entering.

“We are extremely disappointed by the problems with getting into the stadium and breaking the security perimeter that Liverpool fans faced this evening at the Stade de France,” Anfield club says in a statement.

“This is European football’s greatest game and supporters should not have to go through the spectacles we witnessed tonight.

“We have officially requested a formal investigation into the cause of these unacceptable problems.”

On Sunday, Liverpool chief executive Billy Hogan said the club wanted supporters to draw on their experience to provide for any investigation.

“We want to make that information available to the relevant authorities,” he said.

“In the coming days, we will be setting up a mechanism for supporters to contact us directly to provide their experiences and accounts of what happened.”

European football’s governing body Uefa said it “sympathizes with those affected by these events and will urgently look into these further matters together with the police and French authorities, and with the Football Association”. French football”.

“Prior to the game, the turnstiles at Liverpool’s end were blocked by thousands of fans who bought fake tickets that did not work in the turnstiles,” it explained.

“This created a huge amount of fans trying to get in. As a result, the match was postponed 35 minutes to allow as many fans with genuine tickets as possible to enter the field.

“As the numbers outside the stadium continued to increase after the match started, police dispersed them with tear gas and forced them to leave the stadium.”

French police have urged fans not to force entry with tweet 20 minutes before the game scheduled to begin.

As the game approached, large areas of empty seats could still be seen inside the ground.

Outside, some fans were seen climbing the perimeter fence or trying to run through security. Riot police were also present.

The Liverpool players restarted at 20:06, with a notice on a large screen inside the stadium indicating the delay was due to late arrivals by fans.

French police said fans with fake tickets tried to force into the stadium but “quick police intervention allowed a return of calm”.

They added that they were able to disperse fans “without difficulty”.

They also said there were no major incidents at the fan zones in the city, although 500 people were moved from a bar near the Liverpool fan area at the Cours de Vincennes.

French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera tweeted: “Attempts to hack and cheat by thousands of England fans have complicated the work of stadium staff and police but will not tarnish the game. this win.”

While Home Secretary Gerald Darmanin also blamed the British fans.

‘A completely absurd situation’ – a fan’s point of view

BBC journalist Nick Parrott, who was out on the pitch personally, told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I just got pepper sprayed for the first time in my life. I’ve been in a Champions League final before and I haven’t been. never been pepper sprayed before.

“I’ve been outside Gate Y, which has been open and closed continuously for the past hour and a half but no one has come through. The security officer on the other side came forward and sprayed pepper spray.”

The opening ceremony begins at 20:20 BST before the match kicks off 16 minutes later.

About 10 minutes after the match started, Football Supporters Europe said “thousands of people are still trapped outside the stadium, keeping calm in the face of a completely unreasonable situation”.

The agency added: “The fans at the Champions League final are not responsible for tonight’s defeat.”

BBC Sport’s John Watson, at the pitch, said he “passed hundreds of Liverpool fans queuing at the entrance to the pitch an hour before the game and was not allowed in”.

“I don’t understand why the delay was due to the late arrival of the fans,” he added.

Defender Robertson said he gave the ticket to a friend but he was denied entry to the match.

“One of my mates said it was a fake which I assure you it’s not,” he said.

“It’s been horrible for our fans and all the families that have been through it. It’s not been a nice experience, it’s not a nice final to get to. The Champions League should be a good one. celebration but it’s not.”

MP Ian Byrne of the Liverpool West Derby tweeted said he had “suffered one of the worst experiences of my life”, blaming Uefa for “terrible organization and security that put lives in danger”.

“I pray no fans are injured because of the shameful lack of organization and professionalism,” he added.

Dominic King, from the Daily Mail, told BBC Radio 5 Live he spoke to supporters queuing into the stadium.

“It didn’t come from anywhere,” he said. “There was no violence or resistance. They were just frustrated with the way the government was treating them.”

‘We were told about 45 minutes before, that our end was filled while there were thousands of people outside,’ said Tyler, the Liverpool fan, who spent £1,000 on his ticket , told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Fans also said they were assaulted and robbed by local gangs as they left the stadium after the game.

Former Liverpool defender and now TV pundit Jim Beglin was among them and tweeted: “Last night’s post-match was the scariest thing I’ve ever experienced.

“Organized gangs set out to hunt down fans leaving the field. We ran a ring of thugs on our way to the Metro. No police in sight. Witnessed a lot of attacks. ambush aimed at unsuspecting attendees. It’s deplorable.”

The final was originally to be played in St Petersburg, but the city was disqualified after Russia invaded Ukraine.