"I was close to death" - Liverpool legend says he feared for his life during UCL final sham in Paris
Liverpool legend Alan Kennedy has spoken about the events that took place outside the Stade de France, where the Reds lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League final on May 28.
The final was delayed by over thirty minutes, with many of the Anfield faithful unable to take their seats in the stadium. While the game eventually did start, the surrounding areas of the Stade de France saw ticket-holding fans unable to get inside the ground and reach their seats. There were also shocking scenes, as tear gas was used on the unhappy fans by the French police.
Kennedy, who had arrived to watch the game with his son, saw the chaos evolve first-hand and shared his experience with CNN, saying:
"I have to say, it was absolute chaos. And if it wasn't for my son and if it wasn't for the people helping me get over the fence -- and it was a metal fence which was difficult to get over -- if they weren't there, then I would have been in serious trouble."
He added:
"The pressure was coming from all sides. It seemed to be that, you know, people were coming from the right. They were coming from the left. They were even coming from straight on. Whichever way we turned ... we were going the wrong way."
He continued:
"I remember being at a point where I just said to myself: this is so dangerous. There's going to be a loss of life. I felt as though I was physically struggling against a lot of people."
He also said:
"I was really, really afraid. [I was aware of] the tragedies that have been over the years. And I would never wish that on anybody because you don't know which is the best way to turn. You didn't know which was the best way to go."
Although he was eventually able to get in, Kennedy noted he couldn't remember the game between Liverpool and Madrid:
"I can't remember much about the game. Now isn't that strange? You know, we had a good view, but I can't remember much about the game. Because I think I've been traumatized by what had gone on earlier. You know, I must say that I was close to death."
Liverpool lose another Champions League final to Real Madrid
When the two sides met in the 2018 final, it was Lorius Karius' errors that led to the Madridistas beating Liverpool and winning the continental trophy. The Spanish side had won 3-1 on that occasion.
This time, the Reds lost again, but it came down to the grit shown by Los Blancos. Despite the Reds dominating the match, it was Vinicius Junior who got the all-important goal for Madrid in the second half that sealed the fate of the final.