Cages, crushes and stabbings - is European away safety getting worse?

Sport InsightCages, crushes and stabbings - is European away safety getting worse?Published30 January 20261011 CommentsImage source, BBC SportByDaniel AustinBBC Sport senior journalistFootball fans across the country dream of following their club in Europe, seeing them take on the cream of the continent's crop alongside friends and family.But European away trips aren't all sunshine, sangria and singalongs - in recent years, there have been a number of significant security incidents in which fans' safety has been put at risk.The 2022 Champions League final became a "near mass fatality catastrophe" due to poor organisation by Uefa and French authorities, while in the years since, fans of Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle have strongly criticised policing and security measures at matches in Istanbul, Lyon and Marseille respectively.Earlier this season, fans were even barred from attending some away matches in the Champions League amid "extremely worrying" security trends which some believe are worsening, stripping fans of dignity and in some cases leading to dangerous situations.Common issues fans report include:overly aggressive policingcrushing caused by poorly managed stadium entry and exit procedureslack of toilet accessinvasive body searchesconfiscation of items like power banks and medicationsSo, are safety conditions at some of the game's most prestigious matches really getting worse?'Lives are being put at risk'"There are definitely countries where the situation is deteriorating, like Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands," said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe (FSE), which invites travelling fans to fill in a survey about their experience after each round of European fixtures."There are also repeat offenders - countries and clubs where things are not improving and they have demonstrated that they are not capable of hosting games in acceptable conditions....