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England cricketer Moeen Ali has looked back upon the horrific experience outside the Stade de France ahead of the 2021-22 Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool. Ali likened his experience to that of being in the middle of a warzone, admitting that he did not like to think about it too much.
Liverpool and Real Madrid played scintillating football over the course of the 2021-22 campaign to rightfully reach the Champions League final, which was played on May 29.
On the day of the final, a ruckus ensued outside the stadium, keeping thousands of Liverpool fans from entering the Stade de France. They were heckled and even tear-gassed by the authorities in their attempts to stop illegal ticket holders from entering the stadium (via ESPN).
Liverpool supporter Ali, who was invited to the game by BT Sport, was also caught up in the chaos. In an interview with The Athletic, he described it to be a “horrible” experience and said:
“It massively ruined the experience. We tried to get there early but it took us forever to get in. People were being pushed around, gates were closed, it was almost like being in the middle of a warzone at one point. We had some kids with us and they were crying, it was horrible.
“I didn’t feel safe at all and most people would probably say the same. We managed to get through the gates but for people still outside, it was even worse. Pepper spray, crushing, police with shields, fights… I don’t like thinking about it too much. I just wanted to get home. If that was one of my first football games it would really have put me off going again.”
Liverpool vs Real Madrid UCL final marked a bitter end to a memorable campaign for the Reds
Jurgen Klopp’s side had the perfect opportunity to exact revenge upon Real Madrid at the Stade de France in the Champions League final. Instead, it turned out to be a heartbreak, both for the club and their supporters.
While Real Madrid fans easily walked into the stadium, many of the Reds’ fans had to miss a significant chunk of the match. On the pitch, the Merseyside giants tried to work their magic, but failed to break Real keeper Thibaut Courtois’ resistance.
Vinicius Junior scored the only goal of the match in the second half to seal a 1-0 win for the Whites. The victory marked their second consecutive victory over the Anfield outfit in a Champions League final. Los Blancos previously beat the Reds 3-1 win the 2017-18 summit clash.
Liverpool played all 63 available matches last season, winning the FA Cup and the League Cup. In the Premier League, they were beaten by Manchester City by a solitary point right at the end of matchday 38.
Liverpool could have had their best-ever campaign last season but ended up settling for two domestic cups. An underwhelming finale to a superb season.
