Merseyside Police stick up for Liverpool fans after UEFA’s raft of excuses

Merseyside Police have stuck up for the Liverpool fans who were pepper-sprayed by French police before and after the Champions League final as UEFA blamed supporters for turning up late and without genuine tickets.

On Saturday, carnage ensured in Paris as the Reds and Real Madrid were set to face off at Paris’ Stade de France. Mass queues formed outside the stadium while footage showed fans hopping fences and pepper spray being used in widely-populated areas.

UEFA said that fake tickets were the cause of the commotion: “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. 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.”

But Merseyside Police have challenged this excuse, as the actions of those in charge has been widely condemned around the world. LFC Matchday Police Officers wrote on Twitter: “MERPOL was deployed to this evenings match. Can only describe it as the 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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Liverpool, meanwhile, said in a statement that the handling of the game was unacceptable: “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.”

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