Arsenal are under pressure from their supporters’ trust to join a formal complaint to UEFA over ticket allocations for their Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain.
The Arsenal Supporters’ Trust (AST) is preparing to lodge its own complaint after fans were allocated just 2,000 tickets for next week’s second leg in Paris.
UEFA rules stipulate that away teams should receive 5% of stadium capacity, but PSG were granted special dispensation to lower this to 4.1% after a request from local police.
The AST’s move is backed by Liverpool’s Spirit of Shankly group and fan representatives from Aston Villa, who also received reduced allocations when visiting Paris this season.
AST board member Tim Payton said Arsenal must not remain silent as the new Champions League format will mean more matches against PSG in future years.
“It’s not fair that every club that plays a Champions League game in Paris has fewer tickets for their supporters,” he told The Guardian.
Payton admitted that any action now is unlikely to improve next week’s allocation but insisted the principle must be defended for future matches.
Tensions over ticket distribution have increased further after PSG themselves filed a complaint over their allocation for the first leg at Emirates Stadium.
The French champions were only given 2,500 tickets for Tuesday’s clash, down from the 3,000 they brought during the group stage.
Safety concerns were cited, reportedly due to damage caused to seats during PSG’s last visit, although the French club claim they repaired the damage and argue the new restriction undermines sporting fairness.
The issue comes in a context of longstanding mistrust between English supporters and the French authorities.
That night saw thousands of Reds supporters trapped outside the Stade de France, exposed to heavy-handed policing and violent gangs.
A UEFA-commissioned review later condemned the French authorities’ handling of the event and dismissed official claims of widespread ticket fraud as irresponsible falsehoods.
The report praised Liverpool and Real Madrid fans for their self-discipline in the face of serious danger.
Given this history, English supporter groups remain especially sensitive to issues surrounding safety and fairness when travelling to France.
The AST and their allies want Arsenal to take a clear stand now, warning that unless action is taken, visiting fans will continue to be treated unfairly when facing PSG.
