A civil claim involving Liverpool fans who suffered injury and distress at the 2022 Champions League final in Paris has been settled.
UEFA issued a statement on Friday evening confirming that a “full and final settlement” had been agreed with fans represented by Pogust Goodhead and Bingham Long who had made personal injury claims.
The terms of the settlement will remain confidential, UEFA said.
An independent report published last year found UEFA bore “primary responsibility” for the failures which almost led to European club football’s biggest occasion becoming a “mass fatality catastrophe”.
Serious congestion problems outside the Stade de France in Paris saw thousands of Liverpool fans penned in against perimeter fences and stuck in a motorway underpass ahead of the game against Real Madrid, with kick-off on the night delayed by more than 30 minutes.
Those same supporters, who had already been targeted by local youths trying to steal tickets, were then tear-gassed and pepper-sprayed by police.
“UEFA has already taken a number of steps following the 2022 final, including implementing recommendations from the independent review and establishing a special refund scheme,” UEFA’s statement on Friday said.
“Today, it has gone further by ensuring that Liverpool fans represented by Pogust Goodhead and Bingham Long receive a sum by way of compensation in relation to the difficulties and challenges that they were confronted with.
“The parties have agreed the terms of this statement but that the terms of the settlement will otherwise remain confidential. The settlement agreement has been made without any admission of liability. UEFA is pleased to have reached a common position which it is hoped provides closure for the fans. UEFA will be making no further comment.”
A Liverpool fan who was part of the Pogust Goodhead and Binghams claim, Matt Douglas, said in an article previously published by the firms: “We left for the game with plenty of time ahead of us. We went to enter the ground at around 3:30pm and noticed most of the gates were closed.
“When fans shouted and tried to communicate with stewards, we were mostly ignored. People kept being let into the gate, and it became worrying… a large volume of people with nowhere to go. Things were getting tense, there were kids around us crying, and I was seriously worried for my safety.
“I was next to a waist-high security divide which was about to fall over with the waves of pressure, and eventually I had to climb it rather than fall over it, but I still got injured… I broke my rib and have since been signed off work with it.
“Once we entered the ground, it got no better, we were hit with the aftermath of tear gas, and our eyes were stinging.
“I have suffered what can only be described as PTSD for weeks, I have avoided crowds, and I don’t think I’m ready to attend a football match. I certainly will never go to Paris again.
“UEFA owed a duty of care to the fans, and they failed in that duty.”
The independent panel also said it was “troubled” by the authorities’ attempts to blame Liverpool fans without tickets for the chaos “without any evidential basis”.
“Assertions that late, ticketless supporters were either the primary cause or contributed to the dangerous events have a particular resonance with Hillsborough, where similar allegations were made… and persisted for decades before being comprehensively disproved,” the report said.
Michael Burke and Paul Hudson, members of the claimants’ legal team at Pogust Goodhead, said: “We are delighted that fellow supporters of Liverpool Football Club will soon be in receipt of compensation for the difficulties and challenges they faced at the 2022 Champions League Final. This was an exceptionally important case and to have played a part in it was a privilege.”
Gerard Long, managing director of Bingham Long, added: “As a local firm, it was important for us to be able to report back to (fans) that we had resolved the matter without lengthy legal proceedings, and they will receive some compensation.
“I would like to make clear that no deduction will be taken from my clients’ damages and that they will therefore receive 100 per cent of the compensation received as part of this settlement.”
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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