The Champions League Final debacle – And the FA’s celebration investigations farce

The CL Final Debacle by Ken 1945

So it’s being reported that 19,000 Liverpool fans will be given their money back, as EUFA have admitted they were completely innocent in the CL final debacle.

At last, we are seeing the establishment taking responsibility for their total incompetence, as they were unable to hide behind blaming fans for the problems.
I have always maintained that the “vast majority” of football fans are normal everyday people, who know how to conduct themselves.
We now have the FA saying that they will take no action against Bruno Fernandes, who pushed an official – yet are always ready, without any actual proof, to condemn supporters.
Let’s see what the FA do with regards to our celebrations against Bournemouth, after all being excited about a last gasp winner is more deserving of punishment than attacking an official isn’t it?
ken1945

19 Comments

    1. Dan, making physical contact with any official (hands on) is regarded as an immediate red card – at least it was when I refereed 30 years ago and I haven’t seen or heard of any rule change since then with regards to officials.

      Now, do you think that the same leniency would have been shown if it was Xhaka who had placed his hand on the back of the official in order to push him away?

      1. Agree 100% Ken. And yet on TALKSPORT the other day, our own Keown was trying to argue that it was not worth punishing, but simply that we should keep an eye on him if he did it again.

        Jordan and White shot him down, as did phone in listeners.

        I could scarcely believe my ears at Keown, as I had never taken him for a fool, before that utterance.

      2. As you say “he placed his hand on the back of an official to push him away” hardly a push, just a touch really, certainly not worth a red and hardly a yellow, certainly not an “attack”.
        Your first part of of the article though was on point regarding Liverpool fans being totally exonerated and the blame being admitted by UEFA (and the French police) especially as I remember seeing an article on here blaming the Liverpool supporters for fake tickets, violence and hooliganism.

        1. GB, if you lay a hand on a official in order to push him away, what would call it?
          Watch it again and there is no question that it was a deliberate and violent action against an official that should see a red card, according to the rules (unless as I say, they have been changed).
          I agree the word “attack” was the wrong one to use, how about violent play?

            1. Different scenario – the match incident was an official being assaulted by a player and should be dealt with by the FA.
              The bottle throwers should be dealt with by The Arsenal and the police.
              Both unacceptable behaviour of course.

      3. Ken I’m not disputing that , it’s just the word ‘ attack’
        if you hadn’t watched the game and just heard that word , ‘attack’, your left picturing something else

  1. Wow, so the Mickeys are getting a refund on their match tickets. Is it to late for UEFA to refund the Arsenal fans for being batten charged and tear gassed in Paris in the semi final of the CWC in ’94 and then again in the final in ’95 ?

  2. The FA would be better served investigating VAR officials transgressions, time wasting included as opposed to a last gasp winner.

  3. KEN, Spot on! Could not agree more!!
    Well done for highlighting the hopeless blockheads who run the FA.

  4. 100% with Ken1945 and Jon Fox. One rule that has never change in the last 60 odd years of football is, ” Thy Shall Not lay a hand on a referee or a linesman “. That rule has never changed. A player cannot place a hand on an official under no circumstances. Even when appealing a decision made by a referee or linesman. The same goes to an official. When applying for a referees badge you are instructed that you are never to place a hand on a player. If a player goes down hurt you are not to assist a player by touching them. A referee is not permitted to intervene a fight/brawl by dragging players apart. As for Bruno Fenades, he should have been sent off. Yellow card for exaggerated play acting,,, Yellow card for touching an official. But in saying that, it is a sending off for touching an official. It’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. That’s one playing rule that has never changed in football. As for over celebrating, if substitutes, coaching staff, club employees invaded the pitch and the match has not concluded (even if 10 seconds from the completion of the match), I would say the FA could investigate it. But there has to be some common sense and consistency shown by the FA. That’s been lacking all season

    1. Excellently put pjennings and I agree 100% on all counts. Regarding the Bruno / linesman incident, I think it was the word ‘attack’ which triggered me.

  5. It’s doubtful that the FA will take any more action than a heavy fine for our team’s celebrations, even though they do seem to be on our case this season more than others.
    I can’t imagine points being deducted for something any more than over-excitement, but we do have priors in not being to control our players.
    Personally, I love seeing it, especially Arteta’s Richard Keys attracting antics.
    I think we’re due an article of apology from a particularly controversial article writer for his slandering of Liverpool supporters now that UEFA have put their hands up.

  6. Ken, your piece about a player touching an official brought back the memory of Petit getting sent off at Highbury against Villa. From what I can remember, Paul Durkin was the ref and he ran upto Petit and jumped slightly in front of him. Petit put both hands in front of himself and Durkin went into them. Out came the red card. What Fernandes did on Sunday was more worthy of a red than what Petit did.

  7. I was wondering when you going to say something about this united clown. Everytime the referee blows he run up to him great but not so great player and zero leadership qualities

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