Lineker issues strong response as Liverpool fans absolved of Paris final blame

Gary Lineker has praised Liverpool fans for their "remarkable patience" after a report into the chaos at May's Champions League final exonerated supporters of any blame.

Reds fans were initially blamed by the French government for the scandal in Paris, a claim that was immediately dismissed. The game, which finished 1-0 to Real Madrid, became a living nightmare for both sets of supporters after police used tear gas and pepper spray.

Thousands of Liverpool fans were forced to enter the Stade de France via a dangerous bottle-neck route and wait in queues for hours. Hundreds of supporters suffered injuries and the game was delayed by more than 30 minutes. Thankfully, there were no fatalities.

The French government alleged 'industrial scale ticket fraud' was responsible for Liverpool fans turning up en masse, not poor policing. Sport minister Amelie Oudea-Caster even claimed up to 40,000 counterfeit tickets were in circulation. These claims were unfounded and the authorities were later forced to backtrack and apologise to supporters.

Liverpool were supported by British politicians and Real Madrid. MP for Liverpool West Derby Ian Byrne described the chaos as "disgraceful" and "one of the worst experiences in my life". He also claimed "horrendous security and organisation" put "lives at risk".

A French inquiry has now concluded the fiasco was caused by a catalogue of administrative errors and failings. Former Everton striker and current Match of the Day presenter Lineker has praised Liverpool fans for their response to the unfounded allegations.

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"As a witness to events, it's true that LFC fans were completely blameless," tweeted Lineker. "In fact, they deserve enormous credit for showing remarkable patience and good behaviour under the most trying of circumstances."

The inquiry into the scandal concluded: "The systems put in place had major shortcomings with regard to the intelligence (absence of hooligans but presence of delinquents in large numbers), the transport routes for supporters (removal of a drop-off route at the surroundings of the stadium) and insufficient communication.

"It is not only in the execution that problems arose. Upstream, the crisis scenarios were insufficiently worked on and did not demonstrate the necessary flexibility in the face of so many unanticipated events."

UEFA are yet to comment on the findings and have commissioned their own inquiry, which is still ongoing. A group of Liverpool supporters have called for France's interior minister Gerald Darmanin, who was heavily critical of fans, to resign following the report.

"From the beginning, UEFA, the French police, but in particular the French Minister of the Interior, Mr Gerald Darmanin, sought to blame the Liverpool fans, making slanderous and baseless accusations about their behaviour," said Ted Morris, the head of Liverpool's Disabled Supporters Association.

"They should all feel a deep sense of shame today, and as the LDSA previously requested, Mr Darmanin should do the decent and honourable thing and resign."