Why 200 Galatasaray fans were allowed to attend Liverpool game at Anfield despite UEFA ban

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Galatasaray supporters were spotted celebrating inside Anfield before the Champions League clash with Liverpool, despite UEFA imposing a one-match away ticket ban on the club

Galatasaray fans inside Anfield before the Liverpool game(Image: X/@OurSoul_Gala)

Galatasaray supporters were seen inside Anfield before kick-off ahead of their Champions League Round of 16 fixture with Liverpool, despite being banned from attending.

Liverpool.com understands that around 200 fans were able to attend by having 'Cat 1' tickets for the second leg. The tickets, provided by UEFA for club VIPs and players families, were not part of the ban.

Following their play-off victory over Juventus, UEFA barred the Turkish club's fans from the away leg of their tie with Liverpool owing to serious crowd trouble. The sanctions imposed on Galatasaray stemmed from their supporters setting off fireworks, hurling objects which injured fellow spectators, and confronting local police.

They were hit with a one-match away ticket prohibition, alongside a €40,000 fine for the club. Yet, before kick-off on Merseyside against Liverpool, Galatasaray fans were inexplicably spotted inside the stadium celebrating.

Video clips and images shared on social media appeared to display a group of Galatasaray supporters within the ground prior to kick-off, wearing the team's colors. Stewards also encircled them, and footage captured them chanting before the match commenced.

The supporters in question appeared to be positioned in the upper tier of the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand.

"That ban went well," posted one fan on social media after watching a clip of the Galatasaray fans. A second added: "kick them out tf are they doing there??"

A third said: "Surely they've been kicked out now!!!" A fourth commented: "They will never learn the rules will they." And a fifth said: "I'm paying a membership for me n the kids n can't even get any tickets."