Former Newcastle United and Sunderland defender Alan Kennedy has shared his traumatic version of events after the shambolic Champions League final last weekend. The showpiece between Real Madrid and Liverpool was tainted by ugly scenes outside the Stade de France before and after kick-off.
The organisation of the UEFA spectacle has been criticised after the kick-off was delayed due to large crowds unable to enter the stadium. Liverpool fans have accused French police of teargassing them as they attempted to enter the venue with plenty of time to spare before the start of the game.
French authorities have dubiously claimed 70 per cent of Liverpool fans showed up with fake tickets and have criticised supporters for their conduct before the game. Kennedy was one of many panicked Liverpool supporters stuck outside the Paris stadium and has recounted his first-hand version of the "frightening" event.
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“Obviously we were supporting Liverpool and going towards the block that we should have gone to, but there was no way we could get there within that period of time before the kickoff,” Kennedy told BBC 5 Live. "There were too many people, some were coming from sideways, some were going straight on, some were coming against us. These are fans who didn’t know where to go.
“Honestly, it was absolutely chaos at the time and it was very, very frightening for me from that point of view. I was following my son and he was taking me the right way, but unfortunately, we got pushed to one side. I ended up trying to get over the fence just to get out of the way of the crowd of people.
"That was the main concern. The crush was the main concern for me. Of course, I just wanted to get to one side. Suddenly I found myself being hauled over a fence. The fence must have been at least six or seven foot high.
“I ended up on a van and was taken to a point where I was given a glass of water – by Jason McAteer would you believe? – and fortunately, I was OK. There were a lot of fans in distress at that time. It’s being sensible in that situation.
"Forget about kickoffs, obviously the kickoff was delayed, it was just getting in safely and making sure that others around you can get in safely. That was the main point and certainly why I was helped over the barrier – to get to safety.”
The UK government has called for a formal probe into the chaos after French politicians blamed British supporters for what unfolded. “The footage and accounts from Liverpool fans and the media on their entry to the Stade de France last night are deeply concerning,” U.K. Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said on Sunday.
“I urge UEFA to launch a formal investigation into what went wrong and why, in coordination with stadium staff, the French Police, Fédération Française de Football, Merseyside Police and Liverpool Football Club."
