Liverpool finally get apology after blame for Champions League final chaos

Liverpool lost the 2022 Champions League final to Real Madrid in Paris, but it was the treatment before the game got underway that has led to three years of reviews

France’s Justice Minister has finally apologised to Liverpool fans for the chaos at the 2022 Champions League final in Paris after initially blaming them – and Jurgen Klopp.

Gerald Darmanin was France’s Interior Minister – the equivalent of Home Secretary – when the match with Real Madrid was delayed and police used pepper spray on thousands of Reds supporters locked outside the Stade de France. They were also attacked by French hooligans.

In a press conference on the following Monday, the right-wing politician claimed up to 40,000 supporters without tickets or with forged tickets had caused the problems- and claimed Klopp had encouraged them to travel to Paris without tickets.

But now Darmanin has admitted: “Yes, it was a failure. Because I hadn’t checked what was happening properly, which was my mistake, and because I gave in to preconceived ideas. The culprit was easy (to designate), and I apologise to Liverpool fans. Of course they were right to (feel upset).

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“On the video surveillance images we see a red crowd of Liverpool supporters, crowded against the gates and the riot police holding them back. I’m told there’s a crowd surge. The initial analysis we make is: ‘They’re causing mayhem.’ That’s what I hear at the security post; that’s what the police chief who then joins me tells me.

“During my first public outing (at the Monday press conference), I said what I was told, which was: ‘Well, the English are causing mayhem’. It wasn’t true in the literal sense of the word.”

The final was moved to Paris with only three months’ notice after UEFA stripped Russia of hosting the game in St. Petersburg following the invasion of Ukraine. “Our security system wasn’t designed for that at all. The CRS (riot police), mobile gendarmes with big boots and shields, they’re not great for running,”

Darmanin told the YouTube show ‘Legend’. “We got our (security) system wrong. We were expecting a hooligan war, and instead we got people who came to steal.”

Speaking at his press conference at the French Ministry of Sport following the final, Darmanin had said: “The presence of so many British fans without tickets already happened, notably in 2019 in Madrid. And it created similar types of difficulties.

“There were the same issues at Wembley last year. The behaviour, the disorganisation and a huge market in fake tickets. And I remind you that the coach of Liverpool a few days ago called for fans to come to France even without tickets.”

UEFA-appointed investigators held European soccer’s ruling body mostly responsible for the chaotic security failures. .

“It is remarkable that no one lost their life,” the investigation panel wrote in a 220-page document published in February 2023. “The panel has concluded that UEFA, as event owner, bears primary responsibility.”

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