Liverpool president Tom Werner has demanded an apology from the French sports minister, after she said that the cause of the problem that afflicted the Champions League final in Paris was due to fans carrying fake tickets and the way the English club treated its fans.
The start of the match, which Real Madrid won 1-0 on Saturday, was delayed for more than half an hour after police tried to stop fans trying to force their way into the Stade de France. Some crowds, including children, were subjected to tear gas canisters fired by the French police to control the events.
On Monday, French Sports Minister Amelie Odea-Castera said the initial problems were caused by the presence of a group of Liverpool fans without valid tickets, and accused the club of allowing its fans to go out of their way.
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin added that there had been a “big fraud (in the sale of tickets) on a large scale”.
On Monday evening, Werner responded in a letter to Odea-Castera, describing her comments about fans affected by the events as “irresponsible, unprofessional and completely lacking in respect”.
“The Champions League final should have been one of the best matches in the world of sport, but it turned out to be one of the worst security failures in recent memory,” Werner was quoted by the Liverpool Echo newspaper.
“On behalf of all the fans who have experienced this nightmare, I demand an apology from you, and an assurance that the French authorities and the European Union will allow an independent and transparent investigation.”
UEFA said it had commissioned an independent commission to investigate ticket-related incidents and fan problems, while Odea-Castera said the report would be issued within 10 days.
In an interview with Liverpool’s website, the club’s chief executive, Billy Hogan, said Liverpool was also studying legal options on behalf of its fans.
This is not a great news for the next Games in France in this stadium, but I hope they can solve this soon.