Liverpool Chairman Tom Werner has demanded an apology from the French sports minister after she said fans with fake tickets and the club’s handling of their supporters were responsible for the trouble that marred Saturday’s Champions League final.
The match at the Stade de France, which Real Madrid won 1-0, was delayed by more than half an hour after police tried to hold off people trying to force their way into the ground. Some fans, including children, were tear-gassed by French riot police.
French interior minister Gerald Darmanin added that there had been a “massive (ticket) fraud on an industrial scale”.
Werner hit back late on Monday in a letter to Oudea-Castera, describing her comments as “irresponsible, unprofessional, and wholly disrespectful” to the fans affected.
“On behalf of all the fans who experienced this nightmare I demand an apology from you, and assurance that the French authorities and UEFA allow an independent and transparent investigation to proceed.”
In an interview to the Liverpool website, CEO Billy Hogan said they were also reviewing legal options available to them on behalf of their supporters.