Chelsea fans detained by bad planes

Chelsea fans took to the streets to let out their outrage over the team’s defeat against Manchester United at the Champions League football final. At least five police officers are believed to have suffered minor injuries as a result of the violent crowd, which launched beer bottles at police. But in Moscow, things were far more peaceful.

Although 40,000 people travelled to Russia for the game, there were no arrests necessary after the match.

“Everything was calm, there were no big fights,” a police spokesman told Reuters. “The fans, both Russian and English, were followed by policemen to provide a stable and calm situation at night. No one was detained.”

Although police didn’t detain any fans, travel arrangements did. Thousands of fans who had planned to return to the UK today were held up at Moscow Airport for two hours before being able to get on their plane to Stansted.

Sudhir Rawal was one of those who attended the match in Moscow. “We walked to the buses after the game. Then the bus driver got lost. And when we got to the airport, the trouble really started,” he said. “We were put on buses out to the plane, then they discovered there wasn’t a plane to get on. I don’t know how long we were sitting on the bus at the airport, it seemed like hours.

“I flew out yesterday. I’ve been up for 24 hours. I’m just exhausted.”

Scaffolder Richard Samuels said he felt the same way. “We were held up for about four hours going out and delayed for about six hours going back”  he said. “Tired isn’t the word. And I thought we deserved to win. But that’s football.”