Liverpool say French ministers ‘deflecting responsibility’ for Champions League chaos

Chief executive Billy Hogan says club 'incredibly surprised' by comments about fake tickets and fans turning up late for match

Liverpool fans waiting to get into the Stade de France in Paris before the Champions League final. Getty

Gaps in the Liverpool end as fans struggle to get into the ground before kick-off. EPA

Liverpool fans waiting to get into the Stade de France in Paris before the Champions League final. PA

The giant screen showing that the kick-off has been depalyed due to late arriving fans. PA

Police officers on horseback as Spanish fans gather near Stade de France. Getty

Liverpool fans queue to gain entry to the stadium as Kick off is delayed ahead of the UEFA Champions League Final at the Stade de France, Paris. Picture date: Saturday May 28, 2022.

Fans waiting outside the gates to enter the stadium. PA

Police spray tear gas at Liverpool fans outside the stadium. Getty

Liverpool fans cover their faces after being sprayed by pepper spray. PA

Liverpool fans are seen queuing outside the stadium. Getty

Liverpool fans are seen queuing outside the stadium. Getty

Liverpool fans cover their faces after being sprayed by pepper spray. Getty

An angry Liverpool fan before the game. Getty

Gaps in the Liverpool end as fans struggle to get into the ground before kick-off. Getty

Liverpool fans queue to gain entry to the stadium. PA

Liverpool's chief executive has accused French authorities of trying to “deflect responsibility” for the chaotic scenes that marred the start of Saturday’s Champions League final in Paris.

Uefa announced on Monday evening it had commissioned an independent report into the scenes outside the Stade de France that saw Liverpool fans tear-gassed and pepper-sprayed by riot police as they waited in huge queues prior to the game against Real Madrid.

The governing body initially blamed the late arrival of fans for the problems, which included some supporters being crushed, before later issuing a statement referring to fake tickets as the cause.

French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera reiterated the latter claims on Monday, while French interior minister Gerald Darmanin alleged “fraud at an industrial level” leading to the fiasco. She added that the problem was exacerbated later by local youths trying to force their way in to the game.

Liverpool chief executive Billy Hogan told the club’s website: “I would just say we are incredibly surprised that someone in that position would make comments in the first place at this point, when we haven’t had adequate time to understand what happened. There hasn’t been an independent investigation to establish all the facts.

“We should know all the facts to make sure that the scenes that we’ve all seen – absolutely disgraceful – from Saturday don’t ever happen again.

“Making comments as deeply unhelpful as that, we just feel that everyone should be focused on getting the investigation right and less about making inflammatory comments that attempt to deflect responsibility for what happened on Saturday night.

“I think it’s important that folks know that our chairman, Tom Werner, sent a letter to the French minister to articulate our views and is calling for an apology to our fans for those comments.”

Thousands of Liverpool supporters in a fan zone in Paris, ahead of the Champions League Final at the Stade de France against Real Madrid. PA

Sir Kenny Dalglish greets Liverpool supporters in a fan zone in Paris. PA

Liverpool supporters in a fan zone in Paris, ahead of the Champions League final at the Stade de France. PA

Liverpool supporters in a fan zone in Paris. PA

Liverpool supporters in a fan zone in Paris. PA

Liverpool fans in Place de la Nation, Paris, ahead of the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid. PA

A Liverpool fan wears a mask of manager Jurgen Klopp in front of the Eiffel Tower. Reuters

Liverpool fans in Place de la Nation, Paris. PA

A Liverpool fan, wearing a red beret. Getty

A Liverpool fan gets on the metro ahead of the Champions League Final at the Stade de France, Paris. PA

Fans gather in Paris for Liverpool v Real Madrid. Reuters

A group of Liverpool fans pose for a photograph in front of the Eiffel Tower. Getty

A group of Real Madrid fans pose for a photograph in front of the Eiffel Tower. Getty

Fans gather in Paris for Liverpool v Real Madrid. Reuters

A Real Madrid fan cycles through Paris prior to the Champions League final. Getty

Fans gather in Paris for Liverpool v Real Madrid. Reuters

Fans gather in Paris for Liverpool v Real Madrid. Reuters

Liverpool fans in Place de la Nation, Paris. PA

Liverpool fans in Place de la Nation, Paris. PA

Liverpool fans in Place de la Nation, Paris. PA

Liverpool fans in Place de la Nation, Paris. PA

A young Liverpool fan, wearing a Kenny Dalglish shirt, takes in the pre-match atmosphere. Getty

Real Madrid fans hold up a banner at the Basilica of Saint-Denis in Paris. PA

A Liverpool fan poses for a photograph in front of the Eiffel Tower. Getty

Fans gather in Paris for Liverpool v Real Madrid. Reuters

Real Madrid fans gather in a fan zone at the Paris City Hall. EPA

Liverpool's supporters gather in a fan zone at the Paris City Hall. EPA

Real Madrid's fans cheer for their team in Paris. EPA

Liverpool and Real Madrid's fans play football near the Eiffel Tower. EPA

Fans gather in Paris for Liverpool v Real Madrid. Reuters

Fans gather in Paris for Liverpool v Real Madrid. Reuters

A Liverpool fan poses with the Champions League trophy at the Trophy Experience held at the Hotel de Ville. PA

Liverpool fans gather at the Hotel de Ville. PA

Fans gather in Paris for Liverpool v Real Madrid. PA

Liverpool fans in Paris ahead of the Champions League final at the Stade de France. PA

Fans gather in Paris for Liverpool v Real Madrid. Reuters

A Liverpool fan wears a Jurgen Klopp mask in Paris. Reuters

A Liverpool fan is pictured in front of the Eiffel Tower. Reuters

Liverpool fans outside the Gare du Nord. PA

French police met with local authorities and match organisers on Monday to review events that caused the biggest match in European club football to be delayed by 36 minutes.

French interior minister Darmanin said at a press conference: “There was massive fraud at an industrial level and organisation of fake tickets, 70 per cent of tickets were fake tickets coming into the Stade de France.

“The massive presence of the fake tickets was the issue which meant there were delays, three times the match was delayed.”

Sports minister Oudea-Castera said: “The major point is to try to understand precisely what happened during this massive fraud.

“There are witnesses and the figures corroborate this – 30,000-40,000 people without tickets or with fake tickets and we saw some fake tickets.”

Real Madrid celebrate after beating Liverpool to win the Champions League final at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday, May 29, 2022. Reuters

Real Madrid celebrate after beating Liverpool to win the Champions League final. Getty

Luka Modric kisses the trophy. Getty

Marcelo lifts the trophy for Real Madrid. Getty

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring the only goal of the Champions League final against Liverpool. AP

Real Madrid players celebrate after their victory in Paris. Getty

Dejected Liverpool player Fabinho after the match. AP

Real manager Carlo Ancelotti celebrates after the match. Getty

Dejected Mohamed Salah of Liverpool after the match. Getty

Real Madrid players celebrate after the match. Getty

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois celebrates winning the Champions League. Reuters

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saves from Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah in the second half. Getty

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior scores the opening goal. PA

Karim Benzema scores for Real Madrid late in the first half but the goal was ruled out by VAR for offside. PA

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah fires a shot past Real Madrid's Croatian midfielder Luka Modric. AFP

Liverpool midfielder Fabinho is shown a yellow card. AP

A first-half shot from Liverpool's Sadio Mane beats Real keeper Thibaut Courtois but hits the post. Getty

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates with teammates after scoring. PA

Liverpool attacker Sadio Mane sees his shot hit the post. Getty

Vinicius Junior scores for Real Madrid. EPA

Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois catches a cross. AP

Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring for Real Madrid. Getty

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp on the sidelines. EPA

Liverpool's Luis Diaz shoots at goal. Getty

Real attacker Karim Benzema scores but the goal was disallowed. Getty

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah sees a shot saved in the first half by Real goakeeper Thibaut Courtois. Getty

Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois makes a save from Mohamed Salah. Reuters

Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold goes to cross the ball. Getty

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti. AFP

Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois screams at his defence after Liverpool hit the post in the first half. PA

Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois under pressure from Liverpool's Jordan Henderson. EPA

Liverpool's Sadio Mane reacts to a challenge from Real midfielder Casemiro. EPA

Hogan was also angered about Uefa’s initial remarks about Liverpool fans arriving late, describing that suggestion as "crazy".

“My colleagues across the club, our ownership and I, we all saw it with our own eyes. We were outside the ground, on the ground, in those crowds and from everything I saw, our fans arrived early and they were queuing as directed by authorities.”

Uefa has confirmed the review will be carried out by by Dr Tiago Brandao Rodrigues, a member of the Portuguese parliament and former member of the World Anti-Doping Agency Foundation Board.

It commissioned the report following calls from all parties and leading politicians for a thorough investigation.

A statement read: “The comprehensive review will examine decision-making, responsibility and behaviours of all entities involved in the final.

“Evidence will be gathered from all relevant parties and the findings of the independent report will be made public once completed and, upon receipt of the findings, Uefa will evaluate the next steps."

Real Madrid won the match 1-0 thanks to a Vinicius Jr goal that saw the champions of Spain win a record-extending 14th European Cup.

Liverpool 2021/22 season ratings

MANAGER: Jurgen Klopp – 9. A year ago the manager looked a broken man. Personal and professional problems made 2020/21 a difficult campaign. Last season he recovered his bounce and his deployment of the squad while competing on four fronts was superb. The added bonus for the Kop is he has extended his contract until 2026. A triumph of a year, even if the two biggest trophies got away from him. Getty Images

GOALKEEPERS: Alisson Becker – 9. The Brazilian is among the best in the world at his position. His shotstopping is magnificent – especially one-on-one – and his distribution is excellent. He managed the defence with aplomb, too, directing those in front of him. A key component in the team. EPA

Caoimhin Kelleher ¬– 7. The Irishman did not get much playing time but he made the most of it when he did. His biggest moment came in the League Cup final against Chelsea when he made two crucial saves and scored a penalty in the shoot-out. The most reliable of backups. PA

DEFENDERS: Trent Alexander-Arnold – 8. The 23-year-old was again the creative hub of the team. His forward play and his crossing are vital to the way the side plays. Sure, he had some tricky moments defensively when opponents managed to exploit the space behind him, but it was a risk worth taking. He oozed class. Getty Images

Joe Gomez – 6. The 25-year-old dropped down the pecking order at centre-half after returning from long-term injury. On the plus side, he was impressive when filling in at right-back. He has done well enough to likely earn a contract extension. Reuters

Joel Matip – 8. One of the big question marks over the 30-year-old had been his robustness. Injuries were not a factor last season. His use of space, quickness and his ability to bring the ball out from the back were outstanding. It bodes well for the future. Reuters

Ibrahima Konate – 7. The Frenchman is a work in progress but he made significant advances in the season. He is sometimes skittish on the ball but improved with every outing – his best game was the Champions League final. His physicality is impressive and he was a threat in the opposition box. At just 23 he has massive room for improvement. PA

Virgil van Dijk – 8. It took a while for the Dutchman to return to his imperious best after returning from a cruciate ligament injury. He regained his stature as the season progressed. His commanding presence was vital to the team’s success. PA

Andrew Robertson – 8. The Scot’s boundless energy and his will to win were evident in every game he played. His crossing added a huge amount of threat to the Liverpool attack. He was one of the major figures in the side. AP Photo

Kostas Tsimikas – 7. They love the Greek at Anfield and every time he appeared in place of Robertson the crowd loved his approach. There was very little drop-off on the left side when the 26-year-old was involved. Reuters

MIDFIELDERS: Jordan Henderson – 7. The captain’s workrate and willingness to subvert his own game to help his teammates remained impressive. He might have slowed down a little at 31 but his experience more than made up for any reduction in pace. His leadership showed throughout the campaign. EPA

Fabinho – 8. The Brazilian is the man who seizes control of the midfield. His contribution was enormous and he supplied the platform from which the team could play. The defence were frequently grateful for his protective tackling. AP Photo

Thiago Alcantara – 9. At the beginning of the season some were still asking whether the 31-year-old was the right fit for Liverpool. Those questions have long been put to bed. His passing was often wonderful; his pressing remarkably effective. A standout campaign. EPA

Naby Keita – 6. The Guinean had moments when he looked brilliant and other games where he needed to offer more. He did not produce the consistency that the team needed over the season but a good finish to the campaign earned him a positive rating. EPA

James Milner – 7. The 36-year-old did everything asked of him. Much of that meant coming off the bench to help see games to their conclusion but the veteran put everything into every performance. Mr Reliable. AFP

Curtis Jones – 6. The 21-year-old didn’t develop quite as quickly as he might have hoped but that was due to an eye injury and the strength of the squad. He showed enough quality to be optimistic for the future. EPA

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – 4. It was not a good season for the 28-year-old. His opportunities were limited and when the chances to play came along he rarely shone. With so many impressive performers, he found himself at the back of the queue and a summer exit seems inevitable. AP Photo

FORWARDS: Mohamed Salah – 9. The Egyptian remained the best attacker in the Premier League and perhaps the world. Even after taking a month off to play in the Africa Cup of Nations, he won the Golden Boot with 23 league goals. Defences were visibly unnerved by his presence. EPA

Roberto Firmino – 7. The Brazilian dropped down the pecking order but that was because of the abundance of attacking quality rather than his own failings. He was sometimes overshadowed by his teammates but his clever movement and touches frequently improved the side. AP Photo

Sadio Mane – 8. The Senegalese menaced defences. At times his competitive instincts meant he came close to overstepping the mark but he mainly stayed on the right side of the line. He will be sorely missed when he leaves Anfield this summer. Reuters

Diogo Jota – 7. The Portuguese maintained his fine form throughout the campaign. His direct running at defenders and his poacher’s instinct in the area proved effective. EPA

Luis Diaz – 8. The Colombian has been sensational since arriving from Porto in January. He slotted into the attack as if he had been at Anfield for years. A brilliant buy for the club. AFP

Divock Origi – 6. The Belgian departs Merseyside in a wave of affection. He was never a natural fit for the side’s style but he gave the team a different look and scored vital goals. The striker showed total commitment every time he played. PA

Takumi Minamino – 6. The Japanese spent most of his time on the bench. He was top scorer in both domestic cup campaigns and never lacked for effort. A move is likely in the summer and he should thrive elsewhere with more playing time. Reuters

Harvey Elliott – 6. The 19-year-old started the season expecting to contribute regularly but a serious ankle injury in September slowed his progress. By the time he came back in February, the dynamics of the team had changed and there were fewer chances for the youngster. There will be plenty of time for him to blossom. EPA