Champions League final treatment a disgrace, Liverpool fans say

Image source, Reuters Image caption,

Fans had to protect themselves as police use pepper spray and tear gas outside the stadium

Liverpool fans who faced long queues and tear gas as they tried to get into the Champions League final have said their treatment was a “disgrace”.

Uefa delayed kick-off by 35 minutes on Saturday, citing “security issues” and a build-up of fans trying to get in.

One supporter said he had to protect his disabled son from pepper spray, while another said he saw police punching people as they tried to enter.

The match at the Stade de France in Paris did not start until 20:36 BST, with Real Madrid beating Liverpool 1-0.

Police outside the ground fired tear gas as a small number of supporters tried to climb over security barriers.

Image source, PA Media Image caption,

Fans had to queue for hours to get into the game

Merseyside Police’s matchday officers tweeted that it was “the worst European match” they had experienced but fans’ behaviour at the turnstiles “was exemplary in shocking circumstances”, adding: “You were not late 100%.”

Liverpool fans’ group Spirit of Shankly said the situation was “totally shambolic and extremely dangerous”.

Tom Whitehurst said after arriving at the ground, he had to get his disabled son “out of the way” after they were pepper-sprayed.

“The treatment of supporters by Uefa and the police was an absolute disgrace,” he said.

“[Fans] were indiscriminately pepper-sprayed and there were people with tickets, who arrived two-and-a-half hours early, who were queuing up and they were charged at by riot police with shields.”

Fans Kevin and James told BBC Radio 5 Live they had “queued and queued and then there was what can only be described as people trying to rush the gates and these weren’t Liverpool fans – they were local people”.

They said the police were “trying to tear gas people”.

Media caption,

Liverpool fans were tear gassed by police ahead of the Champions League Final

Tyler, who had bought a ticket for £1,000 in Paris, said he arrived with friends two hours before kick-off.

He said police officers were “throwing people out, punching people, doing everything they can to stop them getting in”.

“There were people in wheelchairs, old lads with their walking sticks – it wasn’t on at all.”

Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne, who was at the game, said in a tweet that he had “endured one of the worst experiences in my life”.

He said Uefa’s “horrendous security and organisation” had put lives at risk.

Image source, PA Media Image caption,

Police used pepper spray to keep fans away from fences at the stadium

The Times’ chief football writer Henry Winter said it was “a complete mess and it is fortunate that we’re reflecting on the event and not talking about a major disaster”.

He said Uefa had “effectively” lied about the late arrival of fans and the Liverpool fans “inside the ground booed it when it was repeated, because they knew it was a lie – they knew that was happening outside”.

“The whole thing was exasperated by what the police were doing – they were funnelling fans into an smaller and smaller areas,” he said.

“Configuration, organisation, poor stewarding and twitchy police were all issues.

“To treat people like that last night was absolutely disgusting.”

Media caption,

Champions League final: Robertson calls organisation ‘a shambles’

Speaking after the game, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said players’ families had had “real struggles” getting into the stadium, while defender Andy Robertson said he had given a ticket to a friend who was then denied entry.

He said his friend “got told it was a fake, which I assure you it wasn’t”.

“It was a shambles really.”

Uefa, European football’s governing body, said it was “sympathetic to those affected” and would “further review these matters urgently together with the French police and authorities, and with the French Football Federation”.

It said the turnstiles at the Liverpool end had become “blocked by thousands of fans who had purchased fake tickets which did not work”.

“This created a build-up of fans trying to get in,” it added.

“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.”

French police said fans with fake tickets had tried to force access to the stadium, but “the rapid intervention” of officers had “allowed the return to calm”.

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

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.