Liverpool CEO Billy Hogan has demanded that UEFA should investigate last weekend’s Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid in Paris. UEFA had said the Champions League final at the Stade de France was delayed by 36 minutes as thousands of fans queued to enter the iconic venue.
Many fans, who had traveled from England for support, were fired with tear gas and pepper sprayed despite having tickets to the final. Visuals from Paris circulating on social media showed a section of Liverpool fans being pushed away by security officials.
“We at Liverpool are seeking an investigation, not a report, of what happened in Paris on Saturday,” Hogan said on Liverpool’s website on Thursday.
“I think they are two very different things. We have written to UEFA again today and we have raised specific questions … that we want them to clarify about the details of this investigation.
“We think it’s incredibly important that we continue this investigation, clearly we launch it immediately and have clear details about the process and how it will work.”
French Interior Minister Gerald Dormain said most of the blame lay with Liverpool fans and that 30,000-40,000 arrived without valid tickets, crowding the stadium and forcibly trying to enter.
However, a New York Times report stated that only 2,589 counterfeit tickets were intercepted by the stewards.
“I spoke to my counterpart at Real Madrid yesterday, who made it clear that their fans also have problems,” Hogan said. “He had major concerns with match day operations, including the policing operations around the match.
“My understanding is that Real Madrid is going to put some details about this on their channels as well.
“Pain, sadness, loss, injury… and now it is just shameful to be told by a French minister that only Liverpool fans have been a problem. Real Madrid have made it clear that their fans suffer as well. Has happened.”