Blame game in France after ‘chaotic’ Champions League final
The chaotic scenes at the French national stadium before and during Saturday night’s Champions League final were called a national embarrassment, while French ministers blamed Liverpool fans for the problem.
The final between Liverpool and Real Madrid started with a 35-minute delay after police tried to stop people trying to enter the Stade de France without tickets, while some ticket holders complained they were not allowed in.
Television footage showed footage of youngsters, who did not appear to be wearing red Liverpool shirts, jumping through stadium gates and running away. Riot police fired tear gas at other people outside, including children, a Reuters witness said.
Some riot police officers stormed the stadium while others charged at people trying to break down the stadium gates.
European soccer’s governing body UEFA blamed false tickets for causing the problem and said it would review the events together with French authorities and the French Football Federation, in a statement received by the British ambassador in Paris. Menna Rawlings.
“We need to establish the facts,” Rawlings tweeted, adding his “commiserations” to Liverpool after a “courageous performance” in their 1-0 loss to Real Madrid.
France’s interior and sports ministers blamed “British” supporters squarely.
“Thousands of British ‘supporters’, without tickets or with false tickets, forced their way in and sometimes used violence against stadium staff,” Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Twitter, thanking police. French.
“Attempts at intrusion and fraud by thousands of English fans complicated the work of stadium staff and police but will not tarnish this victory,” tweeted Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera.
UEFA URGES TO INVESTIGATE
Liverpool general manager Billy Hogan said the treatment of its fans was “unacceptable” and the club wanted a “transparent investigation” by UEFA.
“We intend to make sure there is an independent investigation and we as a club will absolutely be a part of that and we will cooperate,” Hogan said in a video message on Sunday.
🏆 1️⃣4️⃣ times! @Real Madrid are the #UCL winners once again.#UCLfinal pic.twitter.com/8Ne1ewv1v3
— UEFA (@UEFA) May 28, 2022
“We understand that there were many different experiences that took place over the course of the night and it is imperative that we listen to the fans.
“We want to make sure we get the facts and provide them to the relevant authorities…over the course of the next few days, we will set up a mechanism for supporters to contact us directly.”
Britain’s sports minister, Nadine Dorries, has also urged UEFA to launch an investigation.
“The images and accounts from Liverpool fans and the media of his entering the Stade de France last night are deeply worrying,” Dorries said in a statement issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on Thursday. Sunday.
“I urge UEFA to launch a formal investigation into what went wrong and why, in coordination with stadium staff, French police, the (French football federation), Merseyside police and Liverpool Football Club.”
“It is in the interest of everyone involved to understand what happened and learn lessons from these events.”
Some 68 people had been arrested as of 1:20 a.m. local time on Sunday, while there were 238 medical interventions for people who suffered minor injuries, Paris police said in a statement.
UEFA released a statement on Saturday night saying: “In the run up to the match, the turnstiles at the Liverpool end were blocked by thousands of fans who had bought fake tickets that did not work at the turnstiles.”
The scenes at the stadium caused outrage in France, with politicians on all sides calling it a national disgrace.
“It’s a shame for France!” Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, a former far-right presidential candidate, said on Twitter.
Even some in French President Emmanuel Macron’s camp lamented the events, which came two years before Paris is to host the Olympics.
“Fights at the Stade de France, brawls in bars, green spaces turned into garbage… One observation: we are not ready for the 2024 Paris Olympics,” Nathalie Loiseau, a European lawmaker from Macron’s party, said on Twitter.
