Lawyers representing more than 1,000 Liverpool fans who suffered injury and trauma at last season’s Champions League final have given Uefa one week to accept full responsibility for events in Paris and agree to pay appropriate compensation or face litigation proceedings.
Uefa was found this week to have “primary responsibility” for the appalling scenes outside the Stade de France by an independent panel commissioned by European football’s governing body after last May’s final between Liverpool and Real Madrid. Uefa has apologised to supporters of both clubs but has not accepted responsibility for the panel’s findings. Its president, Aleksander Ceferin, has not made any comment on the damning report.
More than 2,600 Liverpool fans caught up in the chaos intend to sue Uefa for compensation. On Friday the organisation was notified that legal claims will be escalated unless it takes responsibility for putting supporters in danger and shows willingness to discuss appropriate redress. The letter was sent to Ceferin and Uefa’s general counsel Simon Drake by Pogust Goodhead, a group litigation firm, and Binghams Solicitors, a personal injury law firm based in Liverpool, and gives Uefa until next Friday to respond. The firms are acting on behalf of more than 1000 fans, with another 1,000 expected to join the claim soon.
They said a formal letter before action, a step towards issuing litigation proceedings, which would set out the extent of the physical and psychological harm suffered by every one of their clients outside the State de France, would be served after February 24th in the absence of a satisfactory response. The group litigation action would be bought before the English courts by Pogust Goodhead and Binghams Solicitors.
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Friday’s letter, states: “We felt that it was prudent to wait for the release of the UCLF22 Independent Review before formally notifying you of our clients’ claims against Uefa. The report, which was released on February 13th 2023, after being leaked to the media, only confirms the advice we have received to date, which was that Uefa was primarily responsible for the events that took place at the 2022 Champions League Final (and is liable to pay damages to those who suffered) and that the Liverpool fans were blameless. On that basis it is our intention to proceed with our clients’ action against Uefa.
“The report’s findings are clear and unequivocal as to Uefa’s primary responsibility for those events. We invite you to confirm that Uefa will accept full responsibility for the events that occurred at the 2022 Champions League Final including, as a matter of principle, liability to pay compensation for the loss and harm suffered by our clients (and all Liverpool fans affected).”
Another firm of solicitors, Leigh Day, are representing a further group of more than 600 Liverpool fans and said this week they were “looking to commence the legal process as soon as possible”.
Uefa have promised to open a “special refund scheme” for fans who attended last season’s final but lawyers insist that reimbursing the cost of a match ticket – that ranged from €70 to €690 – would be insufficient.
Tony Winterburn, partner at Pogust Goodhead, said: “If Uefa are sincere in their apologies to Liverpool fans and their commitment to making football a safe place for all to attend, we believe they will respond positively to our letter and begin talks with no further delays. Redress must go further than simply compensating fans for the cost of a football ticket. The extent and widespread suffering must be recognised by Uefa and president Aleksander Ceferin, before our clients will attain any level of satisfaction.”
The managing director of Binghams Solicitors, Gerard Long, said: “We are hearing, daily, how much upset and frustration delays and lack of transparency causes. Missed deadlines and silence only adds further distress and harm to people that have already suffered a great deal. Engaging in positive conversations and committing to a timeline of next steps will demonstrate to our clients that their voices are being heard with compassion and that Uefa possess the desire to do the right thing.” – Guardian
