Gary Lineker has called out the over-the-top reaction from French police in the final stages of Liverpool’s clash with Real Madrid at the Stade de France on Twitter.
A handful of officers in riot gear formed a cordon in front of the Reds’ end in Paris – a decision that wasn’t reciprocated for the Los Blancos’ end.
What summed up the out of proportion reaction, aside from pepper spray and tear gas, was that with a few minutes of the game remaining a police cordon appeared only at the Liverpool end. This despite the fact there was not a scintilla of trouble or threat amidst the crowd.
— Gary Lineker 💙💛 (@GaryLineker) May 29, 2022
Jurgen Klopp’s men suffered a 1-0 defeat to the La Liga champions, failing to capitalise on some early dominance in the tie.
It’s a farce of epic proportions that both UEFA and French officials have yet to acknowledge their part in the horrific handling of the Champions League final.
Whilst the spotlight will continue to remain on both parties for the respective involvement in the debacle, it’s critical that we don’t forget how patient fans have been throughout.
It’s a shame to see the lack of a united front online among supporters across English football and we can only hope the growing number of eyewitness accounts appearing can encourage others to add their voices to the outrage expressed against the perpetrators involved.
#Ep52 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Paris edition – Previewing the Champions League final