Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson insists the scenes outside the Stade de France ahead of last season's Champions League final against Real Madrid must mark a turning point. Thousands of fans, mostly Liverpool supporters, were locked out and missed the game after French police clamped down in an attempt to deal with the crowds outside the stadium.
Many fans were also attacked with pepper spray and tear gas, and family members of Liverpool players and management eventually left without gaining entry. Also, some fans were attacked in the streets by local gangs after the match, with little or no police protection.
The UEFA investigation continues. Liverpool have received 9,000 written testimonies from fans who were at the final and Henderson believes action needs to be taken. "That is absolutely non-negotiable. Safety and security should not be asked for or campaigned for, it should be taken for granted, and in Paris it wasn't."
"I don't want to say too much at the moment, but there is one basic principle that should be agreed by everyone involved in football and that is that football fans should always be looked after," Henderson wrote in his programme notes ahead of Monday's game against Crystal Palace.
"All the players and staff had family and friends who were involved in the trouble outside the stadium, so we are all aware of what happened and what went wrong. The only conclusion that can be drawn is that something like this cannot happen again. It has to be a moment that brings about a change for the better. Nothing else is acceptable."
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