Gerald Darmanin, the former French interior minister, has publicly apologised to Liverpool fans for inaccurately attributing the chaos at the Stade de France during the 2022 Champions League final in Paris to them.
Now serving as the minister of justice, Darmanin acknowledged that the security measures in place for the final match between Liverpool and Real Madrid were insufficient, admitting in reports from British media on Monday that his earlier comments blaming English fans were misguided.
Before the match, supporters faced dangerous congestion outside the Stade de France, resulting in a delay of over 30 minutes. Footage showed French police deploying tear gas on fans, many of whom expressed concerns about their heavy-handed approach as they were directed into pens outside the stadium.
Two days post-match, Darmanin held a press conference with fellow French ministers, attributing the chaos to “English fans” and their purported possession of counterfeit tickets.
However, he has since revised his statements, describing that night as “the biggest failure” of his career in an interview on the YouTube show, French Legend.
“What I failed to recognise that evening was that the true issue didn’t originate from English supporters but rather from criminals who were robbing fans,” he stated.
“Due to my failure to properly assess the situation, which was my error, and my submission to preconceived notions… it was easy to lay blame, and for that, I apologise to Liverpool fans. Naturally, they had every right to be upset.”
In March, UEFA, the governing body of European football, lost its attempt to dismiss lawsuits filed by numerous Liverpool fans who attended the Champions League final, alleging personal injuries sustained amid the turmoil outside the stadium.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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