Stade de France: Liverpool demands an apology from the French government

Europe 1 with AFP 5:04 p.m., May 31, 2022

Liverpool Football Club chairman Tom Werner has demanded an apology from the French government for blaming Reds fans for the chaotic scenes in the Champions League final at the Stade de France.

Amélie Oudéa-Castera accused Liverpool of 'leaving their supporters in the wild'

Jostling, attempted intrusion by individuals without a ticket, supporters - including children - in shock at the intervention of the police or victims of theft... The prestigious European final, hosted in Paris and won on Saturday by Real Madrid against Liverpool (1-0), was marked by scenes of chaos and disorganization around the Stade de France, without causing serious injuries.

French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castera accused the Liverpool club on Monday of having "left its supporters in the wild", unlike Real Madrid, which accompanied its supporters from start to finish.

The French authorities have also blamed a "massive fraud" of counterfeit tickets from Liverpool supporters, a version that leaves skeptics across the Channel.

In a letter to the Minister and published by the Liverpool daily Echo, Tom Werner expressed his "utter disbelief" that Minister Oudéa-Castera could make "a series of unproven statements on a subject of importance" even before an independent investigation has been held.

Comments "totally disrespectful"

"Your comments are irresponsible, unprofessional and totally disrespectful of the thousands of physically and emotionally hurt fans," he added, saying he had received countless emails from "scared" supporters and denouncing "a strategy seeking to attribute blame others through a press conference".

"On behalf of all the fans who experienced this nightmare, I ask for an apology from you, and the assurance that the French authorities and UEFA will allow an independent and transparent investigation to take place."

“Avoid amalgams” 

Asked on the sidelines of a visit by the organizing committee of the Paris 2024 Olympics, the Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, clarified to some journalists that she "had not received it".

But, she added, "we have Liverpool supporters who were completely in order and whose evening was either ruined or some of them were unable to attend this match, and there we clearly owe them apologies," she said.

“It is obviously with great pain that I can imagine how they felt not having been able to have access to this match,” she added.

“Amalgams should be avoided,” she said.

UEFA, the European football body, announced on Monday that it would commission an "independent report on the events surrounding the Champions League final".

The Liverpool club asked its supporters present on Saturday to share their experience of the meeting via an online form in order to contribute to an investigation.