FA insists Champions League final security was success despite incidents

The Football Association has insisted that the massive security operation for the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund on Saturday night was a success, particularly in terms of ­keeping out ticketless fans who tried to storm the Wembley gates.

The biggest game in European club football was marred at the outset by three men invading the pitch. The first got close enough to the Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior to take a selfie and the last was eventually bundled away by stewards with the Dortmund midfielder Marcel Sabitzer lending a hand. The three men were arrested together with two more who tried and failed to get on to the pitch. They are all set to be charged with criminal offences.

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In a worrying echo of the Euro 2020 final at Wembley between England and Italy, there were coordinated attempts made by groups of people to rush the turnstiles and gain entry ­without ­tickets. The FA had been desperate to counter this, investing £5m and overseeing an 18-month operation to beef up Wembley’s infrastructure. More than 2,500 stewards were on duty and measures included opening the gates at 4pm – four hours before kick-off.

The major move was the introduction of a hard perimeter ticket check. Fans could get relatively close to the stadium, having maybe been stopped for spot checks by police or stewards because it is not possible to lock down the wider Wembley area where people live and work. But the FA strongly believes that the perimeter worked, pointing to how the most aggressive elements on the night were thwarted by it. The lessons of the Euro 2020 final were learned, even if tailgating remains a hugely difficult problem to solve at major events.

“Before and during last night’s Uefa Champions League final there were several incidents of groups of ticketless individuals trying to enter the stadium,” a Wembley statement read. “Our enhanced security operations ensured that these incidents were dealt with robustly and swiftly. These attempts to get into the stadium without tickets were not successful and the new outer perimeter system at Wembley worked.

“We would like to thank the police and stewards for their assistance in deterring the mindless actions of a small minority. The vast majority of fans who attended the game had a great experience in the stadium and in London.”

The Metropolitan police updated their arrests figure to 56 on Sunday; the majority remain in custody. A/Commander Louise ­Puddefoot said: “We are confident that the overwhel­ming majority of attempts to unlawfully gain access to Wembley on Saturday evening were unsuccessful thanks to the efforts of officers, stewards and other stadium staff.

“Officers made 56 arrests – five for pitch invasion and the ­majority for attempts to breach security. Major sporting events often attract attempts by those without tickets to bypass perimeter fencing or otherwise gain entry. There was a robust policing operation in place to support the Wembley security plan and officers worked closely with stewards and stadium staff to maintain security throughout.

“Videos shared online ­showing groups running into entrances do not necessarily ­represent successful attempts to enter the stadium. There are typically multiple further levels of security beyond an initial entrance.”

The FA was keen to promote an enjoyable experience for ­supporters, especially after the mayhem that tainted the 2022 Champions League final between Madrid and Liverpool in Paris and the logistical issues that clung to Istanbul’s hosting of the showpiece last season between Manchester City and Internazionale at the out-of-town Ataturk Stadium.

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There was a relaxed atmosphere for much of the buildup along Olympic Way and that extended to patience among the hordes who waited along the same stretch after the game for trains back into central London.

An FA spokesperson said: “Following events in Paris, we wanted the fan experience to be as good as possible, while also ensuring the stadium was fully secure. The infrastructure worked well – in ­London and at Wembley. Transport, fan festivals and the general fan expe­rience were all very positive.”

It was not perfect, the pitch invasions being a serious blow. The first two men were allowed to run unchecked before departing of their own ­volition and it seemed to take an age for stewards to apprehend the third. All three were ­wearing T-shirts which appeared to bear the name of the Belarusian streamer Mellstroy. The 25‑year‑old was reported to have offered £300,000 to anyone who ran on ­during the game with his name on their shirt.

Additional stewards in hi‑vis ­jackets were deployed around the perimeter of the pitch shortly after, which felt like a move the event organisers did not want to make at the outset. A visible “ring of steel is not ideal in terms of the fan experience, even if it can be necessary.

Dortmund are expected to be charged by Uefa after the club’s Ultras created a pyrotechnic wall of flames in the end behind one of the goals at the start of the second half.