Merseyside Police have issued a statement following the harrowing scenes before Saturday’s Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid.
Fans tried to get into the Stade de France, but were met with extreme measures.
Police, for reasons not explained by UEFA, used tear gas. In addition, some of the gates around the stadium were closed, meaning there was a danger of a crush.
The kick-off was delayed twice. Firstly, there was a 15-minute delay. The reason, UEFA claimed, was fans getting to the ground late.
There was then a second delay. The kick-off was now 20:30 BST.
Again, UEFA put the blame on fans for the delay. But given the tweets of fans during and after the event, it transpires that this was simply not the case.
Many Liverpool fans had already voiced their frustration on Twitter. Some say that they arrived at the stadium more than two hours before kick-off. The likes of John Bishop and Gary Lineker also vented their fury at UEFA and the French police.
Extreme measures taken
Pepper sprays and tear gas were used by organisers. Meanwhile, some supporters were denied access to the stadium, despite having purchased legitimate tickets.
In addition, families and children were in the crowds. It was so bad that some even had to be pulled out of the masses to avoid being caught in a crush. Some fans also had to helped over a fence near the stadium, as per the Daily Mail.
What have Liverpool said?
A statement was later issued by Liverpool in the midst of the chaos. Amongst other areas, they criticised the organisation of the event and called for an investigation.
They said: “We are hugely disappointed at the stadium entry issues and break down of the security perimeter that Liverpool fans faced this evening at the 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.”
Merseyside Police issue a statement
Merseyside Police issued their own statement after the match. They revealed how bad things got at the stadium. They also praised the Liverpool fans.
The statement reads: “MERPOL was deployed to this evening’s match. Can only describe it as the worst European match I’ve ever worked or experienced.
“I thought the behaviour of the fans at the turnstiles was exemplary in shocking circumstances. You were not late 100%.”
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