Champions League final kicks off late due to 'fiasco' outside Stade de France / Photo: © AFP
-
Nick Harkaway Expands John le Carré’s Spy Universe in 'The Taper Man'
-
Binance CFO Kaiser Ng Departs Amid Aftermath of $6.3 Billion Hack
-
Rene Eyre Revisits Autobiographical Performance 'Say A Little Prayer' in London
-
London Museum Granted 24/7 License Ahead of November Opening
-
UAE's HCT Holds Record Graduation and Announces Major Training Expansion
-
Dana White Confirms Flight to Washington for Trump Meeting on Press Secretary Role
-
NASA Awards $10B Lunar Contract Framework to SpaceX, Blue Origin
-
Dengue Fever Expands Into High Himalayas as Climate Change Warms Nepal
-
Katy Perry Tells Fans Ex-Husband Russell Brand 'Should Be in Jail' During UK Concert
-
IoT Refrigerator Hacks Disrupt Blood Labs and Supermarkets Across Europe and US
-
South African election results renew debate over identity-based voting
-
Post-election pressures complicate US and Israeli decisions on Iran
-
South African voters report smoother local election but declining IEC trust
-
UN members approve talks on treaty protocol against environmental crime
-
Dolly Parton museum and Nashville hotel open after singer’s death
-
Family-run West Sussex beach café prepares for first winter season
-
George and Amal Clooney attend New York political-comedy reading
-
CT scans reveal health and burial clues from Egypt’s Braided Lady mummy
-
British buyers pay substantial premiums for period-home appearance
-
Oxford faces complaints over lecturer’s classroom attire
-
Thomas Markle released to house arrest after child-abuse-image charge
-
Kyren Wilson and John Higgins reach International Championship snooker final
Champions League final kicks off late due to 'fiasco' outside Stade de France
The Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid in Paris kicked off over half an hour later than scheduled having been delayed "due to a security issue", UEFA said on Saturday.
The match was supposed to kick off at 21:00 (1900 GMT) at the Stade de France but announcements in the ground said the hold up was caused by the "late arrival" of supporters.
After a delay the teams were lining up in the tunnel as the opening ceremony got underway with kick-off 36 minutes late.
Police sources told AFP that supporters tried to force their way through the first ticket checkpoint outside the stadium -- situated in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis -- but that access to the venue remained "watertight".
Tear gas was fired by police after several dozen people attempted to climb over barriers, according to an AFP journalist on the scene with about 20 succeeding in doing so and getting into the ground.
Thousands of supporters were still massed outside the stadium with half an hour to go to kick-off.
Football Supporters Europe, a lobbying group representing fans around the continent, hit back at the security arrangements.
"Fans at the Champions League final bear no responsibility for tonight's fiasco," it tweeted before the match finally got underway.
"Thousands are still trapped outside the stadium, remaining calm in the face of a completely unreasonable situation.
"We urge the relevant authorities to ensure the safety of all fans."
Kelly Cates, the daughter of Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish, described the pre-match scenes outside France's national stadium as "absolutely shambolic".
"No way in, no way of knowing which way to go. Stay safe if you’re heading in," Cates posted on her Twitter account.
There were still large sections of empty seats in the official Liverpool end of the 80,000-capacity stadium at the time the game was supposed to start.
Some 6,800 security forces were deployed for the event, with between 30,000 and 40,000 Liverpool fans without tickets for the final expected in Paris.
A fan zone with a capacity of over 40,000 was set up for them on an avenue in the east of the French capital.
Around 20,000 fans of each club were officially allocated tickets for the game.
A.Gasser--BTB
