Olympique Marseille release statement following criticism from Newcastle United and its supporters
Newcastle United took over 3000 fans to Marseille on Tuesday for a Champions League match at the Stade Velodrome, and despite the result, the fans were in good spirits at the full-time whistle.
That soon wore off, though, after the French police, who were under instruction to keep Newcastle fans in the stadium after the full-time whistle and let them out in batches and provided an escort to the metro.
All of this was agreed and communicated before the game, so fans were aware that they would be held in the ground after. They weren't told, however, that they'd be surfing on a river of sewage, which you'll notice is a point that is suspiciously absent from Marseille's response.
Another thing fans weren't told is that they'd be beaten with batons and sprayed with pepper spray for the slightest infraction.
Olympique Marseille: Sponsored by France's equivalent of the RNIB
Newcastle United promised to raise fans' concerns with Marseille and UEFA after receiving several reports from unhappy supporters, and Olympique Marseille have now issued a statement of their own, washing their hands of all responsibility and effectively gaslighting the Newcastle travelling support.
"Olympique de Marseille has taken note of the statement published by Newcastle United FC following the Champions League match played this Tuesday at the Orange Vélodrome.
"The Club reiterates that the arrangements for the arrival and departure of visiting supporters were finalised well in advance of the match, in close coordination with the Paris Police Prefecture, UEFA, and Newcastle United FC itself. This system, compliant with UEFA standards, was meticulously implemented and proceeded smoothly.
"Olympique de Marseille also wishes to remind everyone that it deploys significant human, technical, logistical and financial resources at each match to guarantee opposing fans a quality welcome and optimal security conditions.
"The Club also emphasises that no specific incidents or alerts were reported to it by Newcastle United FC during the evening of the match, nor by their representatives present at the stadium, nor in the hours following the match. Furthermore, the feedback sent to our department by UEFA after the match confirms the quality of the security measures implemented and their effective operational execution.
"Olympique de Marseille reaffirms once again its unwavering commitment to the safe travel of its own supporters and, consequently, its dedication to providing away fans with a suitable and secure environment. Therefore, the Club cannot accept that its responsibility be wrongly called into question.
"Finally, the Club wishes to commend the rigorous and coordinated work of the Police Prefecture, whose actions ensured the smooth running of the event and the safety of all supporters.’'
Should we really expect anything else from Marseille?
Absolutely shocking by Marseille. We're not expecting them to cop to every single accusation or even to take responsibility for the actions of the French police, but to completely turn a blind eye to everything is absurd.
Also, as we mentioned before, you'll notice that there's zero acknowledgement of the river of crap, which absolutely does fall within their remit.
It's not a good look for the club, who already have quite the image problem.
