Uefa has pledged to carefully scrutinise the treatment of away supporters at Marseille after accepting the complaints of Manchester United fans who were beaten by police and subjected to dangerous crushes, reports The Guardian. Marseille, who host Arsenal on 19 October, have changed the away access at the Stade Vélodrome after Uefa started to investigate the incidents before and after United's match in France in the last 16 of the Champions League in February.
Various supporters' groups, including Reds Away, have been working with the Football Supporters' Federation to instigate a full Uefa inquiry after reports of fans being kept in a holding area, known as Hall 7, before the match and struck with batons. After the game there was only one gate to leave through and more reports of injuries.
Uefa's head of match-day operations, Marl Vouillamoz, has now written to the federation to say he has "no reason to doubt the veracity of the supporters' accounts of events" and that there was "a negative attitude on the part of the police to supporters in general".
Vouillamoz wrote that "Uefa will be paying close attention to the treatment of away supporters at this venue during the coming season", although he indicated the trouble was caused by "the late arrival of many United supporters and the disorderly behaviour of a small minority".
