Manchester United Football Club News

• Nickname:Red Devils
• Founded:1878
• Manager:Sir Alex Ferguson

• Ground:Old Trafford
• Capacity:68,174

Blatter slams Lens staging

01 Mar 2007 - 07:19:44

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FIFA president Sepp Blatter has sided with Manchester United by criticising the decision to host last week's controversial Champions League clash with Lille in Lens.

United have lodged a complaint with UEFA after several fans were injured in apparent crushing against metal fences in a section of the ground during their 1-0 last 16 first leg victory.

Lille, who decided to switch the game to the nearby Felix-Bollaert stadium from their own Stade Lille-Metropole home, have blamed United for the problems claiming their early distribution of tickets allowed high-quality fakes to be produced.

But Blatter has slammed the decision to host the match at Lens, saying: "I cannot understand that those who organise the Champions League accept a stadium like Lens to play such a match.

"In Lens, there are fences still and it should not be permitted to play Champions League matches in such a stadium."

Meanwhile, Blatter has praised the quality of all-seater stadia in Britain ushered in during the post-Hillsborough era.

He added: "It should be an example for everywhere else in the world. There is comfort and security in the stadia where everyone is seated and you have no fences.

"If this was applied to all the other big leagues some would not face the problems they are facing now."