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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Sean Bradbury

Champions League final kick-off delayed after 'chaos' outside ground before Liverpool vs Madrid

Kick off in tonight's Champions League final has been delayed after significant issues outside the ground.

Liverpool against Real Madrid was due to get underway at 8pm UK time, taking place at the Stade de France in Paris.

But now kick-off has officially been delayed by 15 minutes.

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It follows numerous reports of organisational problems at the stadium, with scores of fans and journalists taking to Twitter to give their accounts.

Shortly before 6.30pm, Telegraph journalist Sam Wallace posted on Twitter to say: "Chaos at the Stade de France on a big bottleneck on the ramp by gate U. Security guards overwhelmed and lots of fans shoved together. Very unpleasant experience".

Broadcaster Kelly Cates tweeted: "Absolutely shambolic at the Stade de France. No way in, no way of knowing which way to go. Stay safe if you’re heading in. It has the potential to be very dangerous."

Just before 7pm, Simon Hughes of the Athletic posted: "Uncomfortable route into the ground here. One way in via an underpass. Police directing people the same way and grumpy about complaints. Very slow movement."

At 7.11pm, Simon went on to add: "Relieved to be out of that. Police checks just beyond narrow underpasses made tighter by presence of vans unnecessarily. Crowd very patient but was becoming tense. I was there two hours and twenty minutes before kick off, like a huge number of people. Only getting in now."

At 7.03pm, Rob Draper of the Mail gave his account, saying: "Sad to relate it’s chaos outside, police [funneling] fans into dangerously narrow routes - because their [vans] are parked blocking the pavement".

Two minutes later, he added: "The police are doing their best. They said they would call their cheif when explained how dangerous it was. But why are the approaching authorities never on the ground to sort issues? The guys there are helpless have no authority".

Meanwhile, PA reporter Carl Markham gave an initial update suggesting Liverpool's team bus was still stuck in traffic outside the ground less than 90 minutes before the game was due to begin.

He wrote: "Not a great start for @LFC. Real Madrid already in the stadium. Madrid’s police escort seemed to work just fine. Don’t see many police in this picture".

The ECHO's Ian Doyle added: "It's actually stuck among people. Not very well organised for the #LFC team, whereas Real Madrid didn't seem to have many issues. They've been at the stadium a little while now".

The Reds coach is believed to have arrived at the ground just before 6.40pm.

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