Thierry Henry's Comments About Champions League Final Being In 'Saint-Denis' And 'Not Paris' Goes Viral

Thierry Henry's comments about the Champions League final taking place in Saint-Denis and "not Paris" have gone viral on social media.

The showpiece was remembered more for the ill-treatment received by supporters than the game itself after innocent Liverpool fans were tear-gassed and pepper sprayed by riot police outside the Stade de France, where many were crammed together and unable to get in.

The game was subsequently delayed following the chaotic and distressing scenes.

There were also reports that fans were attacked and robbed by local gangs in Saint-Denis, a Paris suburb.

Prior to the game, Arsenal legend Henry had talked about the area in which the Champions League was moved to following the relocation from Saint-Petersburg, Russia.

And when speaking on CBS Sports beforehand in a clip that has been doing the rounds, Henry, who himself is from a Parisian suburb, was quick to issue a warning.

"Be careful, the stadium is in Saint-Denis, not Paris," Henry told present Kate Abdo.

"It's not Paris. Trust me, you don’t want to be in Saint-Denis. It's not the same as Paris."

The video has been widely shared around as a result of the events that unfolded and garnered just short of 250,000 views - as well as reaction aplenty:

UEFA had said that the madness which ensued was a result of Liverpool fans with fake tickets storming the turnstiles.

The UK government, meanwhile have called for an inquiry and called the police's actions "deeply concerning".

But Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, the French sports minister, is still pinning the blame on Liverpool supporters and claims "30-000 to 40,000 fans" had fake tickets.

"What we really have to bear in mind is that what happened, first of all, was this mass gathering of the British supporters of the Liverpool club, without tickets, or with counterfeit ticket," she said on French radio.

"When there are that many people by the entrance to the stadium, there will be people trying to force their way in through the doors.

"The fact that the Real Madrid club has supervised the coming of its supporters to Paris to such an extent, by scheduling buses from the airport and organising everything from start to finish — which contrasted sharply with what the Liverpool club did, letting its supporters out in the wild — made a huge difference."

Featured Image Credit: Image: PA & CBS Sports

Topics: Thierry Henry, Champions League, Liverpool, Real Madrid, France

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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