Liverpool want investigation after 'unacceptable' problems for fans around stadium at Champions League final
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Updated 28/05/2022 at 21:31 GMT
There were images of fans being targeted with pepper spray by police, reports of supporters without tickets overwhelming police outside Stade de France, and claims that those trying to get to the Champions League final were put in dangerous areas on their way to the ground on Saturday night, and Liverpool have now requested an investigation into the circumstances.
'Not fair' - Liverpool fans on stadium chaos as people struggle to enter for final
Liverpool announced that they were ‘hugely disappointed’ with the troubles encountered by fans outside the stadium at the Champions League final.
Reports before the match suggested that the police on hand for the clash with Real Madrid in Paris on Saturday night had failed to safely allow fans to reach their destination, with claims that they were herded into narrow areas which were potentially dangerous.
There were also reports of spectators overwhelming police outside the ground to get into the event without tickets.
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Policeman collapses from tear gas, as ticket holders struggle to enter UCL final
Images and videos also appeared to show French police firing pepper spray towards Liverpool fans, which followed on from similar scenes for the Euro 2020 semi-finals, held last year.
As a result of the trouble for fans being able to get into the Stade de France in good time for the originally planned kick-off time of 8pm, the start time was moved back to 8.15pm, then 8.30pm, then 8.36pm.
During the match, the club released a statement on their official website saying: “We are hugely disappointed at the stadium entry issues and breakdown of the security perimeter that Liverpool fans faced this evening at Stade de France.
“This is the greatest match in European football and supporters should not have to experience the scenes we have witnessed tonight.
“We have officially requested a formal investigation into the causes of these unacceptable issues.”
UEFA released their own statement while the game was being played.
"In the lead-up to the game, the turnstiles at the Liverpool end became blocked by thousands fans who had purchased fake tickets which did not work in the turnstiles," it began.
"This created a build-up of fans trying to get in. As a result, the kick off was delayed by 35 minutes to allow as many fans as possible with genuine tickets to gain access.
"As numbers outside the stadium continued to build up after kick off, the police dispersed them with tear gas and forced them away from the stadium.
"UEFA is sympathetic to those affected by these events and will further review these matters urgently together with the French police and authorities, and with the French Football Federation."
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