Champions League final disrupted by pitch invaders as Dortmund star takes one out

Three pitch invaders disrupted the early stages of the Champions League final, with one of them being taken out by Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marcel Sabitzer. The biggest game in European club football had barely kicked off when the action was paused due to a person sprinting onto the Wembley turf.

The man, who was carrying his phone in his hand, went up to Real Madrid ace Jude Bellingham and attempted to take a picture with him. He also ran over to Vinicius Junior and was seen posing for a selfie with the Brazilian before continuing to run around the pitch.

Seconds later, two other people entered the field of play with one of them sprinting into space and copying Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic ‘siu’ celebration. The pitch invaders were eventually apprehended by members of security staff with the help of Sabitzer, who assisted in restraining one person on the ground.

After a brief delay of a couple of minutes, the field of play was cleared and the match was able to continue.

A Wembley spokesperson later confirmed that all of the pitch invaders had been arrested, saying in a statement: “It is illegal to enter the field of play at Wembley Stadium, and we strongly condemn the actions of those who interrupted the UEFA Champions League Final shortly after kick-off.

“All of the individuals have now been arrested. We will support the relevant authorities to ensure appropriate action is taken.”

Security was stepped up at Wembley for the Champions League final with a ‘ring of steel’ involving thousands of security officers and enhanced ticket checks. Around 2,500 stewards were deployed at the match, marking the largest security operation in the history of the national stadium.

Organisers recently spent millions of pounds on upgrading security, including the installation of new gates and perimeter fencing, improved locks on doors and an internal control room to monitor fan behaviour.

Speaking ahead of the match, police commander Louise Puddefoot said: “We want fans visiting London for this fantastic event to have a safe and enjoyable experience. There will be a visible police and stewarding presence not just around Wembley but at fan zones and other events.”

Wembley chiefs were eager to avoid the chaotic scenes which marred the Euro 2020 final, when thousands of ticketless fans barged their way past security and into the stands. An investigation into the disorder found that an estimated 6,000 people without tickets ‘recklessly endangered lives’ outside the stadium.