Three pitch invaders at the start of the Champions League final at Wembley have been arrested.
The clash between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund had just kicked off when three separate individuals made it onto the pitch, approaching some of the players in the process.
The third outran security for some moments and almost made it back in among the fans before being caught.
After the trouble at the Euro 2020 final, in which ticketless fans stormed gates to gain access to the stadium, this was not what the host venue would have wanted with all eyes on the showpiece of the European club season.
At halftime, it was confirmed arrests had been made.
“It is illegal to enter the field of play at Wembley Stadium, and we strongly condemn the actions of those who interrupted the UEFA Champions League Final shortly after kick-off,” a Wembley Stadium spokesperson said.
“All of the individuals have now been arrested. We will support the relevant authorities to ensure appropriate action is taken.”
The Metropolitan Police announced after the match that a total of 53 arrests were made at Wembley and said they had foiled a number of attempts to gain access to the stadium without tickets.
A statement from Commander Louise Puddefoot, who led the policing operation, read: “We are confident that the overwhelming majority of attempts to unlawfully gain access to Wembley this evening were unsuccessful thanks to the efforts of officers, stewards and other stadium staff.
“Officers have made 53 arrests at Wembley – five for pitch invasion and the majority of others for attempts to breach security.
“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.”
Source Agencies
