Athens police confront Liverpool fans outside the stadium (200)

LIVERPOOL fans waiting to enter the Olympic Stadium in Athens to watch the Champions League Final clashed with riot police as congestion prevented them from watching last night’s game.

At least 2,000 fans were still outside as kick-off time approached, and disorder erupted as they chased up staircases to try to get into the ground in any way possible.

The troubled flared as fans’ tickets were being checked for authenticity as they finally neared the stadium, and they were funnelled between some police buses just a few yards apart, causing severe bottlenecks.

It was captured on camera by Liverpool Daily Post VJ Jessica Shaughnessy.

English-speaking stewards insisted it was the only way in, while Greek police urged fans to slow down for their own safety – at some points instructing them to stop moving altogether.

A number of fans managed to dodge the officers and make it to the stadium, but others left standing outside less than half an hour before kick-off began to drift disconsolately away. Riot police closed in behind the bottleneck on the concourse to stop other fans joining it, and there was a brief confrontation as some tried to push their way through.

Police then moved the two buses – originally 30 yards apart – closer together so no one else could join the supporters already waiting.

Supporters arriving to see the match were furious they could make no further progress,

One, who gave his name as Billy, said: “This is woeful. I was at Hillsborough. Haven’t they learned anything in all these years? This makes me want to weep.”

One fan, who declined to give his name, said: “We’ve been penned in and tear gassed. There’s going to be trouble here. This has got Heysel and Hillsborough all over it.”

Riot police raced after them as fans starting throwing missiles. Tear gas was also fired by officers at fans, who were held back on two staircases leading to an upper level outside the ground.

Around the ground, there were sporadic flare-ups with riot police, who used their sticks on the fans when they tried to break through.

Liverpool Daily Post video journalist Jessica Shaughnessy got caught up in one scramble outside the ground, which she said was triggered by an announcement that the ground was full.

Jessica, whose footage of the incident can be seen at www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk, said: “As fans were coming out of the Metro station, an announcement was made that the stadium was full.

“There were still a lot of Liverpool fans trying to get to the ground, with legitimate tickets.

“They started running towards the front of the pen which fans coming out of the Metro were put in until there was space closer to the ground. They were shouting ‘We have tickets’.

“The police then appeared, pushing people back with their shields.

“The crowd got angry, one fan shouted ‘Ambush, run at them’, then a few of them ran towards the police, jumped over the fence, while the police on megaphones were shouting ‘Get back, get back, stay back’ and they sprayed the tear gas into the pen.

“Police from the Metro station then formed a line pushed the crowd back. A few got through to the stadium but most just had to go back into the city centre and watch the game there.”

As the scheduled kick-off time came and went, fans kept trying to find a way into the ground but the situation was not resolved.

About half-an-hour into the match, a few dozen remained outside the concourse area, still furious with the Greek police.

One of the riot police officers told fans: “It’s not our fault, we’ve been told the stadium is full.”

But a fan, who gave his name only as Steve, 21, from Liverpool, said: “It’s a shambles. The stadium’s full because they let people in with fake tickets while the genuine fans are out here.

“I’ve been pepper-sprayed and I can’t even be bothered to try to get in any more.

“There are people who follow people down to Portsmouth, up to Newcastle, and all over Europe, they can’t get in.”

Two Liverpool fans from Norway paid 3,000 euros each for travel packages including a match ticket and headed back into town half an hour after kick-off when they could not get in.

Rune Loholt, a 35-year-old construction worker from Trondheim, said: “I’ve heard that fans without valid tickets managed to get past the authorities, and that’s why genuine supporters can’t get in. It’s a real disgrace, they’ve done a lousy job.”

Frode Forsdahl, 32, a student from Trondheim, said: “We’ve both been pepper sprayed and hit in the faces with clubs. We’ll have to give up, we’ve tried everything.”

Another fan, who declined to give his name, said his ticket was snatched from his hands as he went through the final cordon just outside the grounds.

He said: “That means someone else got in with my valid ticket and I’ve been turfed away from there and have had to miss the match,” he said.

Kenny Roberts, 19, from Norris Green, Liverpool, said: “I’ve got no chance of using my ticket now. I’ve been tear-gassed and hit on the back of the head by the police. I’ve paid good money for that ticket, I’m a season ticket holder, and this is just disgraceful. It’s terrible organisation.”

Last night, it also emerged that a Briton was in custody for allegedly selling tickets said to be forged to an Italian travel agent.

About five more fans were arrested for various matters, thought to be minor, and a British Embassy spokeswoman said they were aware of a case where a fan had his tickets stolen.

Two fans went to hospital for treatment after getting involved in a fight near Monastiraki Square, in central Athens. They were not badly hurt.

The British Embassy said that six Britons had been arrested for various matters so far.