Real Madrid Demand Answers from UEFA After Fan Incidents After UCL Final vs Liverpool

Real Madrid released a statement Friday seeking "answers and explanations" from UEFA about the problems that marred the club's victory over Liverpool in the 2022 Champions League Final last weekend.

Los Blancos requested information about the selection of Stade de France as the match's venue after it was moved from Russia's Krestovsky Stadium following the country's military invasion of Ukraine.

The Spanish club also asked for details about "those responsible for leaving the fans abandoned and defenseless" after pre- and post-match clashes between supporters of both clubs and stadium staff, describing fans as victims.

Questions about UEFA's handling of the situation emerged as the start of the match was delayed over 30 minutes. The governing body blamed late-arriving fans for the wait, but images showing fans waiting outside the stadium appeared to disprove that explanation.

French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera then alleged that between 30,000 and 40,000 fake tickets were sold for the event, which caused issues for stadium staff trying to verify their authenticity, but little to no evidence was provided in support of that claim, per Simon Hughes of The Athletic.

Multiple eyewitnesses told The Athletic that locals arrived to the venue with fake tickets and tried to jump the queue, which led to clashes with security and the use of tear gas canisters.

"Kids, women and old folk were caught in it, but we couldn't get away and we still couldn't get in," Liverpool fan Richard Banks said. "People were in tears; a couple had panic attacks. One lad was taken away on a stretcher unconscious."

Will Sweeney added: "There was wave after wave of locals trying to start a fight. At one point, a railing fell on me and me and my brother went flying into a wall."

Others stated those in charge of taking tickets for the event were young and struggled to maintain order among the massive crowd trying to get inside, per The Athletic.

Liverpool requested a formal investigation into the matter shortly after the game.

"We are hugely disappointed at the stadium entry issues and breakdown of the security perimeter that Liverpool fans faced this evening at Stade de France," the English club said. "This is the greatest match in European football and supporters should not have to experience the scenes we have witnessed tonight."

UEFA stated it was "sympathetic to those affected by these events and will further review these matters urgently together with the French police and authorities, and with the French Football Federation."

Real Madrid, which scored a 1-0 win for a record-extending 14th Champions League title, called for the issues fans dealt with "to be eradicated from football and sport in general."