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In the aftermath of a security issue that delayed thousands of fans from entering Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final, Liverpool has requested an investigation into what transpired outside the Stade de France.
The match, eventually won by Real Madrid 1–0, was delayed 30 minutes due to logistical issues at various stadium entry points. According to the Associated Press, some of the delays were caused by several instances involving fans attempting to break through security at the gates and enter the stadium without tickets.
Liverpool issued the following statement shortly after the match’s conclusion.
“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.”
According to multiple eyewitness reports, the chaotic scene outside the stadium was the result of a variety of issues.
In addition to a system failure that kept ticketed fans from entering for more than 90 minutes, several gates were closed due to the influx of spectators, forcing thousands of people to enter through one gate. The chaos was soon heightened after France police used pepper spray in an attempt to control the crowd.
UEFA officially cited “late arrival of fans” as the reason for the delay prior to the start of the match.
