UEFA set to revise guidelines on team bus greetings and order Liverpool to take action on unruly fans

UEFA are set to order Liverpool to take action on fans lining the streets around Anfield to “greet” team buses before European games.

Euro chiefs have assured Manchester City they will investigate why supporters were allowed to wreck the club’s state-of-the-art vehicle with a hail of missiles before Wednesday night’s Champions League clash.

UEFA have previously insisted that the conduct of fans outside stadia is the responsibility of the police.

But the failure of Merseyside Police to prevent Pep Guardiola and his players from a bombardment of bricks, bottles and fireworks has forced a rethink.

Two of the four changes UEFA have laid against Liverpool relate to the bus incident.

City’s team bus arrives at Anfield last week
(Image: REX/Shutterstock)
Objects were thrown at the team coach
(Image: AFP)

And UEFA have already made it clear in talks with both clubs that allowing a situation where thousands of supporters are allowed to congregate outside the stadium to watch the teams arrive has proved to be a recipe for disaster.

Liverpool were twice fined by UEFA in 2016 for minor crowd disturbances.

But attacking opposition players is likely to draw a tougher punishment and they are facing the prospect of having to play a future European game behind closed doors when the case is dealt with on May 31.

Thousands of fans lined the streets to see the buses arriving
(Image: Getty Images Europe)
Some fans let off flares outside of the stadium
(Image: PA)

City do not blame Liverpool for the attacks, but feel Merseyside Police failed to take the threat of violence seriously, despite the club voicing concerns for the safety of their players in the weeks leading up to the tie.

A high-level City source said: “We made it clear that we felt allowing fans to congregate along the route the team bus was taking into the stadium could potentially bring trouble.”

Merseyside Police failed to respond to a request for a comment.

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