When the UEFA Champions League final was all said and done, the victors nor their adversaries proved to be the big talking point from that night. It was rather the law enforcement that presided over the event. And it seems the talking point has come-to-ahead.
Today at the French Senate, Paris police chief Didier Lallement apologized for the events during the Real Madrid, Liverpool showdown.
Liverpool fans, including men, women, and children awaiting entry into the game were tear-gassed by the French Police at the event. The reasoning stemmed from the attempt to hold back crowds alleged to acquire and use counterfeit tickets for the game.
They also used wheelie bins as a tactic to deny entry.
Lallemant expressed his sentiments, citing late attendance and negligence on ticketing as reasons to lead to the issue, creating a hostile environment for all.
Despite his comments, he admitted there’s no concrete proof that 40,000 ticketless supporters arrived at the Champions League final, but maintained the action was necessary to maintain crowd control entering the games.
The event has already created a stir within the Euro Football community. Fans in France, Spain, and all of the United Kingdom have already responded in droves to the situation, as the UEFA governing body responded, stating: “No football fan should be put in that situation, and it must not happen again.”
The insult to injury was felt, as the game resulted in a 1-0 win for Real Madrid over Liverpool.
Later on today, the team looks to meet with supporters trust Spirit of Shankly to discuss matters on the Champions League final, as well as the long-storied crowd issues with fans still at large.
