British football legend Gary Lineker wrote on Twitter: “I’m not sure it’s possible to put on a less organized event if you try. Utterly chaotic and dangerous.”
Even supporters with a ticket missed quick access to the stadium, which led to displeasure and whistles in the arena. The kick-off of the game was delayed by 37 minutes.
UEFA declares chaos with fake tickets
The European Football Union UEFA explained the chaos at the entrance to the stadium before the Champions League final between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid by the large number of fans without valid tickets. The turnstiles at the Liverpool entrance were blocked because thousands of supporters who had bought counterfeit tickets were unable to get through, UEFA said late Saturday night. This caused traffic jams. The kick-off was postponed to allow as many fans as possible with tickets to enter.
The police used tear gas, UEFA said. The continental federation expressed sympathy for those who had been affected by the incidents and announced that it would work with the French police and the French federation.
Liverpool request investigation
The Klopp club did not want to be satisfied with that. “We are very disappointed with the stadium access issues and security perimeter collapse faced by Liverpool fans at the Stade de France tonight,” the club’s website said. “We have officially requested a formal investigation into the causes of these unacceptable problems.”
By the way: Just before the final, local public transport was affected by a strike. Only two out of three trains ran during the day and four out of five trains in the afternoon, and the line at Paris Nord station was also interrupted. For the fans of both clubs, this meant more difficult conditions when traveling to the stadium.
Arrests and injuries before and after the game
The police in Paris registered 68 arrests and 238 injuries around the final of the soccer Champions League in an expressly “preliminary” balance sheet. At 1.20am, police said 68 people had been arrested before, during and after Real Madrid’s 1-0 win over Liverpool. The injuries were “slight” injuries, the care took place on site.