Uefa does not want final claims heard in England, say solicitors

Fans were penned in and teargassed by police outside the Stade de France in 2022

Solicitors representing Liverpool fans who "suffered physical and psychological" harm at the 2022 Champions League final in Paris have said Uefa is trying to prevent the case being heard in an English court.

Fans were penned in and teargassed by police outside the Stade de France.

Law firm Leigh Day said the football governing body does not want the claims held at the High Court in Liverpool.

A Uefa representative declined to comment due to the ongoing proceedings.

The law firm wants the case heard in Liverpool but said Uefa said it should not take place anywhere in England on the grounds that any decision regarding actions of the French state, such as the police, should be heard in France.

The legal firm is representing about 1,100 fans who claim Uefa failed to ensure a safe and secure environment for supporters.

In a joint statement the firm's partners, Clare Campbell and Jill Paterson, said: "For UEFA to try and deflect away from the key role we believe it played in the organisational and safety failings is hugely disappointing.

"Thousands of supporters were left injured and traumatised and, even now, 20 months on from that fateful day, many of those impacted continue to deal with the repercussions."

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They added it was their "firm belief" the High Court in Liverpool was the "appropriate court to decide upon matters that are so important" to a large number of fans.

"We will continue to fight for their claims to be heard by the English court system," they added.

A Uefa representative said: "We don't have any comment to provide as the matter is subject to ongoing proceedings."

An independent review in 2023 found the association bore "primary responsibility" for the organisational and safety failures which occurred at the Stade de France on 28 May 2022.

The Uefa-commissioned report stated it was "remarkable no-one lost their life".

Uefa and French authorities initially blamed ticketless fans for the events.

The report said there was "contributory fault" from other bodies - particularly French police and the French Football Federation - but the findings said European governing body Uefa was "at the wheel".