Local Liverpool fans talk about their 'horrendous' Champions League final trips

The Reds were beaten 1-0 in France with Vinicius Jr's second-half goal handing Real Madrid their 14th Champions League title.

But, what really grabbed the headlines on the night was the trouble that ensued before the match had even kicked-off.

Kick-off in Paris was delayed by half-an-hour as French riot police had altercations with football fans outside the Stade De France.

Scores of heavily armed officers were filmed hitting and pepper-spraying supporters at a dedicated fan zone in the east of the city.

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Footage circulating on social media showed women and children among the victims of the police violence.

That has led to many -including those from our patch - wanting to never go back to France to watch football again.

Ben Wynne, from Connah's Quay, had travelled to Paris as part of a group of 30 supporters from the Denbigh Supporters Club.

He told us: "Coming home from a champions league final, all you’d expect to be thinking about is the game itself and the score. However, all I and other supporters can think about is the events that took place prior to kick-off and the scenes after the match had finished.

"As I entered the ground, I had one of the most notable Liverpool flags you’d find on the kop (which we take to every game of the season) and it was refused.

"As a group of 30 supporters from the Denbigh supporters club, we waited for the remainder of our group to enter the stadium only to find out that some of them had had their tickets stolen and had been tear gassed by the French police.

"As I left after the match and attempted to collect my flag, there was a turmoil of tear gas and people ready to attack all of the Liverpool fans. This was my fourth European cup final and this was the first time I had genuinely feared for my life.

PIC: Ben Wynne and members of the Denbigh Supporters Club who made it into Stade De France.

"Even when attending a match in Russia, we have never been treated like this. UEFA has handled the whole ordeal horrendously and to even say that the late kick-off was due to the actions of the fans is disgraceful.

"Liverpool fans were arriving three hours early to ensure they could get into the ground and many of them were refused entry because of the French citizens charging the gates. I will never ever return to Paris."

Harriett Mudd, originally from Hawarden but now living in Chester, was at the match with partner Craig Simmons.

She said: "Woke up this morning with a heavy heart and tears in my eyes. What happened at the game last night was a disgrace.

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"We left the fan zone three hours before the game, got to the ground one hour, 30 minutes early after delays, loads of fans were already queued ahead of us. We should’ve been at our gate much earlier but police in the streets going up to the ground were blocking roads and making crowds of people squeeze through gaps.

"We got to our gate and were locked out, laughed at by security/organisers, tear gassed and pepper sprayed, and local gangs were stealing tickets out of Liverpool fans hands. If they couldn’t do that they were jumping the gates and running into the stadium.

PIC: Harriett Mudd with Craig Simmons in Paris.

"A fan near us collapsed and although everyone shouted for medical attention, the stewards walked over to the gate, looked at him, and did nothing.

"People were pushed and shoved, Craig got his ticket grabbed off him and he had to wrestle to get it back. Then we were verbally abused by the thugs and other Liverpool fans were started on for protecting their own tickets.

"Got tear gassed to the point our eyes were streaming and we found it difficult to breathe, children and elderly people were within this.

"I can honestly say that I’ve never feared for my safety or been so scared in my life. The organisation was shocking, the allowing of local gangs/thugs into the ground stealing supporters tickets was atrocious and the policing was criminal. 

"We were let in at half time after a police officer saw I was crying, trying to cope with what was happening, and we showed our tickets. He seemed to be the only one with a heart.

"UEFA and the French authorities have a lot to answer to, and I suggest they start by telling the truth.

"Thank you to everyone who messaged Craig and I to make sure we were ok, it means so much."