The Champions League Final in Paris, told by Madridistas
Real Madrid’s most loyal fans reflect on the horror show that was the 2022 Champions League final. Real Madrid fan club Peña Madridista Central London members Carlos and Sylvester offer their insights to explain what really went wrong.
The organisation and handling of the Champions League final in Paris between Real Madrid and Liverpool was nothing shy of criminal. In fact, one of the many independent inquiries into the traumatic events that preceded the Champions League final in Paris in May has found that supporters were subjected to treatment that “constituted criminal assault.”
Liverpool fans were blamed for the scenes that unfolded by French authorities, with inquiries stating that fans had turned up to the game with around 40,000 fake tickets, but many hurried to their defence. Martin Kallen, managing director of UEFA Events, responded to this in his speech to the French Senate and dismantled their version of events: “there were around 2,600 fake tickets in the turnstiles.”
The French Minister of Sport’s delegate for major events Michel Cadot was the spokesperson following the backlash. His reaction to the ordeal was less than sympathetic. He stated that there were “many regrets over what happened but preparations had been robust.” He also added that it was “an important failure that damages us.” Clearly no acknowledgment for the damage inflicted on fans who paid a small fortune for a ticket to hell.
Real Madrid fans’ side of the story never materialised in the media, but now it will be given considerable attention. Their judgment on the final, and who should be blamed, is incalculable.
Having spoken to members of Real Madrid fan club Peña Madridista Central London about their experience of the final, we observe how the beautiful game’s most dazzling spectacle was turned ugly due to multiple systematic failures.
Speaking with the president of the fan club, Carlos, it was revealing to hear his experience of the game. “Getting into the stadium was not great because there were too many people. The fans from Liverpool were so friendly but there were too many people.” Carlos was adamant that Liverpool fans remained civil throughout the build-up. He even shared a few drinks with them the night before in Place de la Concorde.
Carlos said he did not deal with the same issues as Liverpool fans but was aware that something sinister was stirring. “There were 20-30 French police officers with guns who barged through us. It was like they were going to war.” A striking statement. In an attempt to subdue the panic that was brewing the French authorities only agitated the situation by adopting such rash procedures.
Real Madrid went on to win the game 1-0 thanks to Vinícius Junior’s goal, but Carlos felt that the victory was marred by the overwhelming feeling of anxiety that plagued the stadium. Given the shambolic scenes that unfolded before kick-off, there was an air of certainty that the events after the game were going to take a similar course of action.
Sylvester, another member of Peña Madridista Central London, stated that “after the game you could see a lot of French people waiting to rob the fans leaving the stadium.” UEFA and French authorities had abandoned their duties of care and left both sets of fans to fend for themselves following the final whistle.
The resulting scenes were something straight out of the Wild West. No security, no law, and gangs of youths swarming the streets like a battered beehive. Fans on both sides were attacked and robbed. Carlos and Sylvester were grateful that they escaped the area unscathed but said the hostility they received will live with them forever. “I felt endangered the whole time I was there”, said Carlos.
Carlos and Sylvester are fragments of a much bigger revelation of the events that occurred in Paris last summer. Fans were prime witnesses to the chaos that unfolded, and it is warming to know that both sets of fans were in high spirits in the days building up the game and were in full unity during its collapse.
Both fans I interviewed had very pleasant encounters with their opposition’s fans. The agenda against Liverpool fans was respectively crushed in the immediate aftermath of the final but hearing the stories of both Carlos and Sylvester further illuminates their innocence. Real Madrid won, Liverpool lost, but justice for fans is the true victor here.
