UEFA dismisses delay after Champions League chaos as ‘moot point’ for Liverpool, Real Madrid players – The Athletic

14
Follow our live coverage of Liverpool vs. Napoli in the Champions League. 
UEFA has dismissed the Champions League final delay that followed chaos outside the stadium as a “moot point” for Liverpool and Real Madrid’s players.
The showpiece game in Paris on May 28 was delayed by 36 minutes, with fans forced to wait in long queues outside the Stade de France and subjected to tear gas from French police.
Advertisement
Some were unable to gain access to the stadium despite having genuine tickets and UEFA initially blamed the kick-off delay on Liverpool fans turning up late, before the French Senate ruled that supporters were “unfairly” held responsible.
Jurgen Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti’s players had to warm up a second time after kick-off was put back and Liverpool assistant Pep Ljinders recently described the dressing-room’s sense of anger over the scenes outside the stadium.
But the impact of the mayhem on the pitch was played down in UEFA’s 2022 Champions League Technical Report.
“For all the colour inside, this was a final whose kick-off was delayed for 36 minutes amid distressing scenes for supporters outside,” the governing body wrote.
“The impact on players who had to leave the dressing rooms for a second warm-up prior to the eventual kick-off was a moot point.”
Liverpool’s Andy Robertson had said of the delay: “You do your warm up, you run and get ready for the game and get told it is half an hour’s delay… it is not ideal when you are playing the biggest game of your season.”
Speaking in his book ‘Intensity’, Ljinders lifted the lid not just on Liverpool’s disappointment at a 1-0 defeat, but also players’ frustration with organisers.
“It was deadly quiet. Some (players) were in tears, some were just with complete frustration and most of us with disillusion,” Ljinders wrote, describing the scene after the game.
“UEFA, by the way, didn’t warn us about the delays. It was only after we’d finished our warm-up we found out. Can you imagine that, before a Champions League final?
“But more important than this was the terrible treatment of our supporters outside, trying to get in to watch the game. A complete failure by the authorities, UEFA and the police.
“We couldn’t believe what we saw and heard when we later received the images, videos and stories from those caught up in it. That included family members of my own who told me they cried — firstly in fear when outside and later in sheer relief once they made it in.”
Advertisement
UEFA apologised for the “frightening and distressing events” in the days after the final and has commissioned an independent report into the pre-match scenes.
(Photo: Getty Images)
Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Try a week on us.

source