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Massive chaos around the stadium
Champions League final starts 37 minutes late
May 28, 2022 at 9:26 p.m
Actually, Liverpool FC and Real Madrid should play the new Champions League winner since 9 p.m. But the finale starts more than half an hour late. UEFA speaks of “security reasons”, while several reports describe massive problems at the entrance.
The kick-off of the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool on Saturday was significantly delayed due to massive problems with admission. The game at the Stade de France near Paris started at 9:36 p.m., 36 minutes later than planned. Previously, the kick-off was delayed by the European Football Union UEFA by 15 minutes and then twice more. The organizers initially stated safety reasons on the scoreboard, after which it was said that it was allegedly due to the “delayed arrival of fans”. the consistent reports from reporters around the Stade de France in Paris, however, indicate that there are massive organizational problems with admission to the final stadium.
UEFA’s justification enraged scores of Liverpool supporters, who took to social media to say they had been waiting outside the stadium for a long time. Pictures show sometimes chaotic scenes at the entrance and long queues around the arena. Police reportedly used tear gas on bystanders.
“I’m not sure it would be possible to organize an event any worse, even if you tried. Absolutely chaotic and dangerous,” tweeted English football legend Gary Lineker to UEFA. He described the reason for the delay as a late arrival of the fans as “bullshit”.
“The organization around and in the stadium is not only unworthy of a Champions League final,” said former professional footballer Marvin Matip, brother of Liverpool’s Joel Matip, on Sky. “Using tear gas in areas with children and bystander fans is dangerous to the public.” Rob Harris, a reporter for the AP news agency, tweeted: “UEFA officials had to intervene to stop security from chasing the media.” Accordingly, the security wanted to prevent the use of tear gas from being documented.
Paris police tweeted in French, English and Spanish that fans should not try to force entry. The AP news agency reported that there had been a number of incidents where fans apparently tried to gain entry without tickets.
Many Liverpool supporters were not in the stands when the kick-off was originally planned at 9:00 p.m., and there were still a few gaps after the kick-off for more than half an hour. The Real Madrid fan areas, on the other hand, were well filled early on.
The teams came out of the dressing room shortly after 9:00 p.m. and warmed up a second time. The opening ceremony started at 9:23 p.m., accompanied by a loud whistling concert from the supporters. The teams finally entered the field at 9.33 p.m., and the kick-off followed shortly afterwards.