Liverpool fans warned of 'extremely' worrying safety conditions ahead of Galatasaray clash

Liverpool supporters are being warned about safety and security at UEFA matches across Europe. The Reds, who defeated Atletico Madrid 3-2 in their opening Champions League match, will next face Galatasaray in Turkey.

Travelling fans have been told they may face hours-long bus journeys without access to toilet facilities in Istanbul. They have also been informed that items including phone power banks, medication, and women's hygiene products could be confiscated before entry to the stadium.

"We have public authorities that are giving up and saying that they can't do their job," said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe.

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"It is an extremely worrying trend. There should be consequences to this, but unfortunately at the moment this is not the case."

Liverpool fans have criticised the strict travel measures that police plan to enforce in Istanbul. A spokesperson for the supporters' union Spirit of Shankly (SOS) described the arrangements as 'indefensible' to the BBC.

"Being forced onto a limited fleet of buses with no toilets or accessibility, having everyday items confiscated, including phone power banks and even medical items in previous fixtures, is degrading and unsafe," they said.

"This is not about safety, it's about control and convenience at the expense of dignity and risk management. Where are Uefa in all of this? They should never allow supporters to be treated this way."

In recent years, it has become increasingly common for regional police forces, especially in France and Italy, to ban away fans from certain matches. One example occurred in 2021, when Tottenham fans were banned from visiting Rennes' city centre.

Next week's Champions League fixtures also include two games - Napoli's home clash with Frankfurt and Ajax's trip to Marseille - in which away fans have been banned from travelling by local authorities.

The latest issues come just over three years on from the 2022 Champions League final in Paris, which descended into chaos, with several supporters injured during overcrowding at the Stade de France when Liverpool faced Real Madrid on May 28, 2022.

Fans were subjected to tear gas and pepper spray by French police outside the stadium, and kick-off was delayed by 37 minutes as thousands struggled to gain entry.

After eight months of investigation, an independent panel concluded that organisational failures by UEFA, combined with the absence of a proper venue risk assessment by French authorities, had 'almost led to a disaster.'

"UEFA can't keep washing their hands," the SOS spokesperson added. "They signed up to the Saint-Denis Convention, which sets out that supporters' journeys - from city to stadium and back - must be safe, secure and welcoming.

"The time taken producing that report into the 2022 final now looks completely wasted, as those recommendations aren't worth the paper they were written on."

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