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Liverpool and Real Madrid were forced to wait for 36 extra minutes at the Stade de France before kicking off the UEFA Champions League final. The showpiece event, which was moved to Paris from St. Petersburg after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, witnessed chaos and congestion on Saturday night.
UEFA initially announced a 15-minute delay after claiming fans were late entering the stadiums, with several seats at the Liverpool end still empty. However, reports from journalists present at the venue stirred up a riot on social media.
It was reported that the bottleneck of fans outside the stadium was caused by mismanagement by the authorities. Reports have also come in stating the atrocities carried out by the local police amid rising tensions outside the venue. A section of Liverpool fans, including children, were believed to have been teargassed.
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Although the match eventually kicked off after the unprecedented delay, several voices have been raised against the UEFA. Speaking from outside the stadium, Marvin Matip, the brother of Reds defender Joel Matip, branded the stadium as 'unworthy' of hosting the Champions League final.
Marvin was reportedly denied entry to the Stade de France and had to flee with his pregnant wife, before taking refuge at a restaurant following the tear gas exercise by the police.
In the wake of the shocking scenes that unfolded in Paris, several renowned people from the world of football reacted on Twitter. Here are some of them:
Liverpool aim to exact revenge on Real Madrid after 2018 heartbreak
The last time both Liverpool and Real Madrid faced each other in the Champions League final, there was heartbreak and tears for the Reds. On that fateful night in Kyiv, Jurgen Klopp and company were crushed mentally and physically as they fell to a 3-1 defeat.
However, the Reds are a much better unit at the moment. As such, they will be confident of their chances of exacting revenge against Real Madrid in Paris. If they do end up winning, Liverpool will complete a cup treble, having won the League Cup and FA Cup earlier this season.
It will be interesting to see who comes out on top in what proves to be an intriguing contest. We just hope everyone in Paris can enjoy watching the game safely!
