Real Madrid have said UEFA’s proposal to refund ticket costs to fans caught up in the chaos around the Paris 2022 Champions League final is not enough.
Kick off in Madrid’s 1-0 win over Liverpool at the Stade de France on May 28, 2022 was delayed by more than half an hour as fans faced problems getting into the stadium, with UEFA and French authorities blaming supporters for the disruption.
Police using tear gas to disperse crowds at the stadium gates. Hundreds of supporters missed the game altogether, while others were robbed in the streets around the Stade de France after the match.
On Tuesday, UEFA said that every Liverpool fan with an official ticket would be entitled to a full refund, while Madrid supporters could claim compensation if they could show that they entered the stadium after the original 9 p.m. kick off time.
In a statement on Thursday, Madrid said the club would not be collaborating with UEFA’s compensation process and would offer advice to fans on pursuing their own claims against European football’s governing body.
“A report by a team of experts commissioned by UEFA was released on 13 February 2023,” the club said. “This team of experts concluded that, alongside other institutions, UEFA itself is directly responsible for the events that took place in the vicinity of the stadium.
“Its serious shortcomings put the safety and physical integrity of the fans who attended the match at risk. Many of them were victims of ticket theft and the theft of personal belongings such as bags, phones and wallets. More seriously, some of these fans were subjected to physical assaults that required medical attention.
“Given the conclusiveness of the experts’ findings and the seriousness of the events described, Real Madrid has been holding talks with UEFA with the aim of assessing the compensation that will be offered to the fans.
“Our club was entirely confident that these solutions would be in line with the seriousness of the events.
“Regrettably, our club believes that UEFA’s proposal, officially announced last Tuesday, is insufficient. It merely consists of the reimbursement of the ticket price, which is also subject to the fulfilment of a series of requirements, including providing proof of the time of access to the stadium.
“The content of the report, which was commissioned by UEFA itself, stresses that all fans attending the final were victims of its inadequate organisation and their safety and security were compromised… The fact is that all the fans experienced an unacceptable delay in the start of the match. In addition, there was unacceptable insecurity both in accessing and leaving the stadium.
“For this reason, Real Madrid has decided not to cooperate in the restricted compensation procedure proposed by UEFA… In these circumstances, an online assistance service will be made available to enable all Real Madrid members and fans who experienced any kind of harm at the 2022 Champions League final in Paris to make the appropriate claims against UEFA.”
