UEFA slammed for a pre-prepared message to blame Liverpool fans ahead of the Champions League final in Paris
UEFA have been slammed for a pre-prepared message to blame Liverpool fans for the delayed kick-off at the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool, according to a report in The Guardian (h/t Liverpool Echo).
Thousands of Reds supporters were stuck in chaotic queues outside the Stade de France, despite having arrived three hours or more before the scheduled time of 9pm.
Paris police directed the fans to a ticket checkpoint using an alternative route that had been a known hazard since 2016. Many supporters who paid up to £600 for the final tickets, were also subject to brutal riot policing, including pepper spray, teargas and attacks by local French men.
Because of poor management by UEFA, the scheduled kick-off time was eventually pushed back by more than 30 minutes. Upon announcing the first delay to the kick-off, UEFA displayed a message on the big screen inside the stadium that was simultaneously broadcasted across the globe.
Due to the late arrival of fans, the match has been delayed. Further information will follow in 15 minutes maximum.
However, it has now been suggested that this message was in fact pre-prepared by UEFA way before the day of the final. Those words angered thousands of Liverpool fans in Paris and back at home, but this new report is bound to increase their anger.
The European governing body did not stop there. They continued to peddle false narratives that fake tickets had caused such chaotic scenes outside. But those narratives were quickly played down by people sharing videos of the traumatic experience.
Despite UEFA promising an investigation into the incident, nothing happened. And now these reports of blaming Liverpool supporters appearing pre-planned only adds fuel to the fire. It remains to be seen if UEFA issues a statement regarding this report.
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The Reds ended up on the losing side of the final, as a Vinicius Junior goal was enough to hand Real Madrid their 14th European title. Liverpool fans will hope for better treatment in Istanbul should the team reach the final again.
