May 28, 2022, will be remembered as a night of chaos and disappointment for Liverpool fans at the Stade de France in Paris. The Champions League final, which Real Madrid won 1-0, was marred by delays, tear gas, and police clashes with fans.
French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera sparked outrage when she claimed that the initial problems were caused by Liverpool fans without valid tickets and accused the club of letting their supporters "out in the wild".
However, Liverpool chairman Tom Werner hit back, describing Oudea-Castera's comments as "irresponsible, unprofessional, and wholly disrespectful" to the fans affected.
"The UEFA Champions League final should be one of the finest spectacles in world sport, and instead it devolved into one of the worst security collapses in recent memory," Werner was quoted as saying by the Liverpool Echo newspaper.
Werner demanded an apology from Oudea-Castera and called for an independent and transparent investigation into the incident.
UEFA has already commissioned an independent inquiry, and Oudea-Castera promised a report within 10 days. Liverpool CEO Billy Hogan also announced that the club is reviewing legal options available to it on behalf of its supporters.
