UEFA make Wembley charge decision after full-body searches scrapped for Dortmund fans

The FA looks set to avoid a charge by UEFA following the use of pyrotechnics from Borussia Dortmund fans at Saturday’s Champions League final.

It was just one of several high-pressure moments for security officials at Wembley, with the match disturbed less than one minute in by pitch invaders.

Outside the ground, hoards of ticketless fans unsuccessfully attempted to burst through the turnstiles and gain unlawful admission.

But it was the use of pyrotechnics that had the Wembley bigwigs sweating the most, given UEFA’s usually hardline stance on the issue.

Wembley chiefs had met with the Dortmund ultras ahead of the contest in an attempt to dissuade them from setting off pyrotechnics during the match, as per The Telegraph.

Full-body searches were considered an option for fans heading into the ground, but the time-consuming exercise was binned off.

It counted for little though, as flares were set off en masse by the German supporters situated in the stadium’s east stand as the players returned for the second half.

The display created a thick layer of smoke that travelled across the stadium and was visible on the television.

However, the disturbance isn’t expected to cause the FA any problems, with UEFA reportedly happy with how the final was handled.

It came after a whopping £5million was spent on added security for the showpiece event because the FA were humiliated by scenes ahead of the Euro 2020 final.

Speaking after the match, a Wembley spokesperson said: “Our enhanced security operations ensured that these incidents were dealt with robustly and swiftly.

“These attempts to get into the stadium without tickets were not successful and the new outer perimeter system at Wembley worked.”

They added: “We would like to thank the police and stewards for their assistance in deterring the mindless actions of a small minority. The vast majority of fans who attended the game had a great experience in the stadium and in London.”

Overall, the Metropolitan Police revealed 53 arrests were made on the night.

Commander Louise Puddefoot, who led the policing operation, said in a statement on Saturday night: “We are confident that the overwhelming majority of attempts to unlawfully gain access to Wembley this evening were unsuccessful thanks to the efforts of officers, stewards and other stadium staff.

“Officers have made 53 arrests at Wembley – five for pitch invasion and the majority of others for attempts to breach security.

“Videos shared online showing groups running into entrances do not necessarily represent successful attempts to enter the stadium. There are typically multiple further levels of security beyond an initial entrance.”