Newcastle Complains to UEFA Over Fan Treatment in Marseille

Newcastle United has lodged formal complaints with UEFA, French police, and Olympique de Marseille over what the club described as unacceptable treatment of its supporters by authorities following Tuesday's Champions League match at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille.

The Premier League club issued a statement on Thursday accusing French police of using unnecessary and disproportionate force against fans after Marseille's 2-1 victory. Harvey Barnes gave Newcastle an early lead, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice for the hosts to secure the win and hand Eddie Howe's side its second defeat in the competition's league phase.

According to Newcastle, supporters were required to remain inside the 67,000-capacity stadium for up to an hour after the final whistle as part of a prearranged safety protocol. Fans waited patiently without incident during this holdback period, the club said, before being released in groups of 500 and escorted by police to the nearby Metro station.

The situation escalated once the first group departed. "The police began using unnecessary and disproportionate force to stop the remainder of our fans from moving any further," Newcastle stated. "This was...