Uefa has launched a comprehensive review into the chaotic scenes that marred Saturday’s Champions League final in Paris.
The inquiry will look into the tear-gassing of Liverpool supporters who were waiting in huge queues before the clash against Real Madrid at the Stade de France and access problems leading to a kick-off delay of 36 minutes.
European football’s governing body initially blamed the late arrival of fans for the delay before later issuing a statement blaming the issues on fake tickets.
The organisation has now responded to calls for a full inquiry by confirming a review of the events will be conducted by Dr Tiago Brandao Rodrigues, a member of the Portuguese Parliament and former member of the World Anti-Doping Agency Foundation Board.
“Uefa has today announced it has commissioned an independent report into the events surrounding the Uefa Champions League final in Paris on Saturday, May 28,” it said.
“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."
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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
The review comes after French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin repeated claims about fake tickets.
French authorities are under increasing pressure over their handling of fans and security, but Mr Darmanin said an influx of supporters with unauthorised tickets, or without tickets at all, was the biggest problem.
“There was massive fraud at an industrial level and organisation of fake tickets," he said. "Seventy per cent of tickets were fake tickets coming into the Stade de France.
“More than 2,600 were confirmed by Uefa as non-validated tickets even though they had gone through the first filtering.
“The massive presence of the fake tickets was the issues which meant there were delays. Three times the match was delayed.
“I would like to express our regret with regard to the organisation of the final because some people were not able to see the whole of the match. I deplore the errors which took place before.”
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Liverpool's Sadio Mane celebrates with teammates on an open-top bus during a parade through the streets of Liverpool on Sunday, May 29, 2022. The team celebrated winning the League Cup and FA Cup with fans, having lost the Champions League final to Real Madrid. AFP -
Jordan Henderson waves to supporters during a parade through the streets of Liverpool on Sunday. AFP -
Liverpool's Diogo Jota with the FA Cup trophy during the parade. Reuters -
Liverpool players during the trophy parade on Sunday. Getty -
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp during the trophy parade in Liverpool. Picture date: Sunday May 29, 2022. -
Pep Lijnders and Jurgen Klopp with the FA Cup and the League Cup trophies. Getty -
Liverpool's Harvey Elliott and Mohamed Salah during the trophy parade. Reuters -
Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk at the trophy parade. Reuters -
Liverpool fans wait at the pier head ahead of the trophy parade. PA -
Reds players wave from an open-top bus during a parade through the streets of Liverpool. AFP -
Liverpool's supporters cheer as they arrive to attend an open-top bus parade of the Jurgen Klopp' team. AFP
Representatives from local authorities, police and organisers met to review events on Monday.
Amelie Oudea-Castera, France’s Sports Minister, said there were thousands of fake tickets.
“The major point is to try to understand precisely what happened during this massive fraud," Ms Oudea-Castera said.
"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.
“We can see they are professional and that meant some controls didn’t notice it.”
This version of events has been contested by Liverpool supporters and independent media outlets.
Ian Byrne, the Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby, attended the match as a fan and said he had never witnessed such scenes since the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.
Mr Byrne has written to Foreign Secretary Liz Truss with a list of seven demands, including a formal investigation and apologies, aimed at Uefa and the French authorities.
“The French authorities and Uefa are quite simply covering their own backs with this narrative, he wrote.
“As a Liverpool fan, I was in Paris for the match and I can honestly say that the situation outside the ground was one of the most horrendous experiences of my life — and as a Hillsborough survivor, I do not make this comment lightly.”
Merseyside Police observers described the behaviour of most supporters as “exemplary”, although those from the Paris prefecture said some had used “strong force” to try to get into the stadium.
Liverpool FC have appealed to supporters who attended the game to report their experiences on a feedback form on their website.
