Gérald Darmanin regrets the disorganized treatment of Liverpool fans, citing counterfeit tickets for the disruptions.
In a press conference on Monday, France’s interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, expressed regret over the “disorganised welcome” Liverpool fans received at the Champions League final in Paris. He pointed to the massive scale of counterfeit ticket sales as the primary cause of the chaotic scenes outside the Stade de France.
Darmanin explained that between 30,000 to 40,000 Liverpool supporters had arrived at the stadium without valid tickets or with fake ones. The minister linked this to the use of paper tickets instead of digital ones, which he claimed facilitated “massive, industrial-scale and organised fraud.”
This revelation came amidst growing concern over the treatment of fans, with a spokesperson from Downing Street calling the scenes “deeply upsetting and concerning,” urging a full investigation. UEFA has since announced an independent review into the events surrounding the final.
