UEFA settles with Liverpool fans over Champions League final chaos

UEFA has reached a settlement with the Liverpool fans who claimed physical and psychological injuries at the 2022 Champions League final in Paris, the European governing body announced on Friday.

Liverpool fans experienced the security chaos at the 2022 Champions League final hosted at the Stade de France in Paris. The match was delayed by more than 30 minutes as French police were tear-gassed supporters outside the stadium.

Some people without tickets attempted to enter the stadium, while others tried to rob England supporters outside the venue. The incidents that prompted UEFA to apologise to all the fans who travelled to Paris to watch the final. Not once, but twice did the UEFA express its regret over the episode at the Stade de France.

UEFA has reached a "full and final settlement" with fans represented by two sets of lawyers, Bingham Long of Liverpool and Pogust Goodhead of London, who brought personal injury claims.

"The Liverpool supporters, represented by Pogust Goodhead and Bingham Long, will receive a sum as compensation for the difficulties and challenges they faced," UEFA said.

Police spray tear gas at Liverpool fans. GETTY IMAGES

The FootUEFA's statement said that "the terms of the settlement will otherwise remain confidential. UEFA has already taken a number of steps following the 2022 final, including implementing the recommendations of the independent review and setting up a special refund scheme."

After thar, all the eyes were on the 2024 Paris Olympics. Concerns about a similar situation two years later are on the table for organisations such as Level Playing Field (LPF), but not only that, Tony Estanguet recognised that Paris 2024 must learn lessons from the Champions League final, and even UEFA talked about the changes they could implement after that.

Liverpool fan Matt Douglas, who said he had suffered from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), said, "I still got injured. I broke a rib and have been off work with it ever since, UEFA had a duty of care to the fans and they failed in that duty," he said.

Gerard Long, managing director of Bingham Long, said on Friday: "As a local firm, it was important for us to be able to report back to (the fans) that we had resolved the matter without lengthy legal proceedings, and that they would receive some compensation."