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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Eamon Doggett & Vincent Whelan

Former Irish stars slam authorities for chaotic Champions League final scenes

Former Ireland football stars Jim Beglin, John Aldridge and Jason McAteer slammed the authorities after being caught up in the chaotic scenes in Paris surrounding the Champions League final on Saturday.

All three of the ex-Irish players criticised the policing and organising of the event at the Stade de France which saw Liverpool lose to Real Madrid.

The European club showpiece had its kickoff delayed by 36 minutes as thousands of fans were stuck outside the stadium because of what UEFA described as a 'security issue'.

Social media footage appeared to show that fans were sprayed with either pepper spray or tear gas and funneled into bottlenecks in what looked to be very unsafe scenes.

Former Liverpool and Ireland player McAteer alleged that his wife was mugged while his son was attacked while either making their way in or out of the Stade de France.

Jason McAteer (©INPHO/James Crombie)

He wrote: "Last night was disgusting. My son attacked, my wife mugged. UEFA very accountable as well as ground stewards and French police. Hope everyone is getting out of this s***show safely."

Another former Reds star Aldridge vowed never to return to France “ever again” after the treatment of Liverpool fans.

Sharing a video from the airport to Twitter, he said: “Right folks, this is our plane. Can’t wait any longer to get out of this hole.

“It’s minging. The police are minging. Everything around the stadium is minging.

“Some of our fans have been treated nearly as bad as we were at Hillsborough. Absolute disgrace.

“Au revoir. Au revoir. Won’t be [here] ever again in my life.”

Police stand in front of fans prior to the UEFA Champions League final (AFP via Getty Images)

Beglin, who played for Liverpool in the 1980s and now works as a commentator, described horrifying post-match scenes.

He tweeted: “Post-match last night was the scariest I’ve ever experienced.

"Organised gangs set about mugging departing fans. We ran a gauntlet of thuggery on our way to the Metro. Not a police officer in sight.

"Witnessed so many ambush attacks on unsuspecting attendees. Reprehensible @UEFA."

Another former Irish player David Meyler also went to the match and was damning in his assessment of its organisation.

Meyler wrote: “Tonight is the first time in my life that I’ve been scared entering a football ground. Uefa you should be ashamed of yourselves.”

Liverpool issued a statement following the match demanding an official investigation into the treatment of their supporters.

It read: "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," the club said.

"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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