‘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 finalized 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 emphasizes 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.’
Pathetic from Marseille - Official response to Newcastle complaint and Howe reacts
On Thursday morning, Newcastle United launched a formal complaint over the treatment of our supporters following our Champions League clash in Marseille on Tuesday night.
The club called out to 'unacceptable treatment' of fans at the Stade Vélodrome, criticising the French police after witnessing the use of batons, pepper spray and excessive force, also highlighting reports of crushing in the upper section of the away end.
Several concerning stories have emerged from fans who experienced or witnessed the scenes in and outside the stadium, not for the first time on a European away day, and Marseille have now responded to the complaint.
Sadly, their official statement in reply is a disgrace, not only denying any wrongdoing and playing down the fair concerns raised by Newcastle, but praising the local police for their actions on the night!
Perhaps no surprise to see such a classless and tone-deaf reply from a club who gave a warm welcome to a certain Mason Greenwood. Need I say more..
Eddie Howe was asked about the complaint and concerning scenes during this morning's press conference, calling for away trips to be safe and enjoyable, not an environment where fans are "disrespected."
Howe said: “Very sad to hear because the most important thing is everyone enjoys the experience, it is safe and they're talking about the game for the right reasons.
"We don’t want to see any set of supporters anywhere in the world being disrespected."
