Six hours of mayhem at the Champions League final in Paris - a first-hand account

It was 30 minutes after the scheduled kick-off time for the Champions League final when the seat to my left at the Stade de France was occupied by a teenager. He arrived crying and bent over, comforted by his father - former Liverpool player Dirk Kuyt.

“What happened?”

“I was pepper sprayed outside,” he replied.

Three hours earlier, I’d seen the family mingling with Liverpool fans close to the Real Madrid end of the stadium. They asked their former winger for photos. He obliged. They asked for predictions. He said Liverpool. The weather was warm and sunny, the atmosphere fitting the big occasion.

I had arrived in Paris late on purpose. I had to cover the game as a journalist and to talk about Real Madrid. But their opponents were Liverpool and I’m from Manchester. Being surrounded by tens of thousands of happy, expectant Scousers isn’t my idea of fun.

Fans were still arriving at Charles de Gaulle at 4pm. European airports regularly register their busiest days when they stage European football’s biggest game, but the largest airport in Paris appeared to be coping fine.

At a tourist information point I asked the following question: “What time is the metro running until tonight?” It was a simple, straightforward enquiry.

The woman was friendly but she didn’t know the answer, and nor did her male colleague.

The first thing I saw coming through arrivals was six soldiers holding large guns. Nothing unusual in that, a show of strength and force from the host.

Thousands of Liverpool supporters in a fan zone in Paris, ahead of the Champions League Final at the Stade de France against Real Madrid. PA

There was a man in a suit holding up a sign which read ‘Roberto Martinez’. Belgium’s manager, previously with Liverpool’s rivals