4 May 29, 2022The Sunday Times
Football Champions League
‘Supporters should
not have to
experience the
scenes we have
witnessed tonight’
present — who were not allowing fans
to progress towards the stadium — to
allow them to move, the officers
retained a line between a parked
police van and a wall. The supporters
were forced closer and closer
together into a dangerous crush.
A number of children, in tears,
were ushered to the front by fans,
whom the police eventually let
through.
In the build-up to the game, the
Times Chief Sport Writer, Owen Slot,
reported: “Worrying scenes outside
the ground. Fans have been queueing
more than two hours. Literally not
moving. Some tickets aren’t scanning.
At least one gate has been shut.”
Another football journalist,
Dominic King from Liverpool, said he
had felt the effects of the pepper
spray. He tweeted: “There is no blame
to be put on fans here, none whatso-
ever. French police have used pepper
spray for no reason — and I know this
because I’ve felt the effects with some
colleagues. How these people are
being treated is a disgrace.”
Some supporters with children
abandoned efforts to get into the
stadium and left the area. Alan
Brookes, a Liverpool fan from Tarle-
ton, Lancashire, said: “We were here
at 6.30pm for a 9.30pm kick-off. It
isn’t fans turning up late. The police
had us trapped under the flyover. It is
just pandemonium. We should have
been going to Gate Z but it was locked.
There were chains around it. We are
trying to get in Gate A now.
“There are no stewards here. There
are thousands of people outside. It is
carnage. I was frightened before.
People were getting crushed and
women behind us were screaming.”
One Liverpool fan, Shaun Harvey,
37, said: “What are we supposed to
do? If we start kicking off, what’s thestory? There’s no way we can do that.
All we can do is stand here and be
patient. All we want to do is go to
the game. We’ve been waiting over
two hours.
“They put a fan park all the way on
the other side of the city. But people
still got here a couple of hours before.”
Inside the ground Uefa’s claim on
the giant scoreboard that kick-off was
delayed “due to late arrival of fans”
was roundly booed by Liverpool sup-
porters. Uefa later said security issues
had caused the delay.
An Associated Press (AP) reporter→Continued from page 1
stated: “I got bundled into a hut by a
security guard, told to remove accred-
itation, and then forced to delete
video footage of the crowd issues oth-
erwise I wouldn’t be allowed back in.”
Another AP reporter, Rob Harris,
reported that “Uefa staff had to inter-
vene to prevent security personnel
going after media to stop filming as
tear gas was being deployed”.
Video footage showed pepper
spray rather than tear gas being used.
The Liverpool end of the Stade de
France was full of empty seats with
kick-off approaching. Thousands ofdoes not believe that what he brings
in playmaking qualities outweighs
lingering defensive deficiencies.
But there is risk and reward, and
Jürgen Klopp starts Alexander-Arnold
because of his creativity and because
there are few in world football who
can deliver a ball better.
Klopp urges him forward, linking
with Mo Salah, which inevitably
tested his defensive abilities as he had
to race back.
He was actually deep when
Vinicius struck after 59 minutes but it
was not simply the speed of the
angled cross from Federico Valverde
that caught Alexander-Arnold but his
failure to keep total concentration on
his man. Liverpool should have
closed down the attack earlier, and
stopped Valverde delivering, but it
was still a lapse by Alexander-Arnold.
He got drawn across, going with
Karim Benzema, and forgetting that
Vinicius was lurking behind him,
ready to pounce. For this was the
game within the game, the 21-year-
old Brazil winger versus the 23-year-
old England international, two
exceptional young talentsdetermined to win the greatest club
prize of all. Liverpool had hoped to
negate Vinicius’ threat by fielding
Ibrahima Konaté at right centre back,
helping Alexander-Arnold or filling in
the space when the full back
embarked on one of his raids. Konaté
was soon involved, covering across to
clear when Vinicius got away down
the left. When Vinicius picked up the
ball on the touchline, Jordan
Henderson covered back. Then,
again, with Alexander-Arnold pushed
forward, linking with Salah, Konate
screened. When Vinicius then cut
inside, seeking Benzema’s pass, Virgil
van Dijk stepped across to clear.
When Konate joined Alexander-
Arnold in a foray upfield, Fabinho
slotted in briefly at right-back.
Liverpool were prepared. Vinicius
was not to be left unattended. This
was collective responsibility in
action, and the plan worked for
almost an hour. Henderson, the
captain leading by example, was back
to nick the ball off Vinicius’ feet when
he’d managed to wriggle through on
to Benzema’s pass.
He was slow to react just before theAlexander-
Arnold fails
to close
down
attack
Vinicius Jr conquered Liverpool and
won the duel with Trent
Alexander-Arnold when
escaping from the full-back to
score just before the hour.
Veni, vidi, vici.
It was the 10th Champions
League goal the precocious
Real Madrid winger has
been involved in this
season (four goals and six
assists) and it confirmed
what an exciting talent he
is, and may have made
Real feel less aggrieved in
Paris that Kylian Mbappé
had chosen to stay there.
He certainly gave
Alexander-Arnold a
moment to forget.
Alexander-Arnold will not
start for England at the World
Cup as Gareth Southgate clearlyHENRY
WINTER
Vinicius Jr con
won the d
Alexande
escaping
score jus
Veni, vid
It was
League
Real M
been
seas
assis
what
is, an
Real
Paris
had c
He
Alexan
mome
Alexa
start for En
Cup as Garhour but until then Alexander-Arnold
graced the final, and showed that he
can defend. When another early ball
was angled to Vinicius, Alexander-
Arnold read the danger and then cut
out a Valverde cross intended for
Real’s No 20.
It was a taste of danger to come.
But Alexander-Arnold did make one
of the interceptions of the half,
sensing Vinicius’ run, being far more
alert than just before the hour.
Seeing that Toni Kroos had
unleashed, Alexander-Arnold calmly
stepped in. His timing and touch had
to be perfect. One fraction of a
misjudgement and Vinicius would
have collected and been away. This
time, Alexander-Arnold was.
He was doing what he does best,
being heavily involved in Liverpool’s
surges deep into Real territory. The
No 66 was soon in his playmaking
stride, drilling a 60-yard pass from to
Luis Diaz on the left.
When Henderson headed the ball
back, Alexander-Arnold dribbled into
the Real area and teed up Salah.
His technique is refined, his
control instant. He effortlessly took‘IT’S CARNAGE
OUT THERE’
Liverpool supporters pepper-sprayed amid
chaotic scenes that delayed start of final
Supporters
outside the
Stade de France
before kick-off,
main, and a fan
is held back
by French
police, leftVinicius Jr has been
involved in ten
Champions League goals