Liverpool issue strong response to UEFA investigation into Champions League final chaos

Congestion problems outside the Stade de France led to the showpiece final being delayed for 35 minutes.

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Reds fans were dangerously penned in against perimeter fences and gathered in a motorway underpass prior to their clash with Real Madrid in the French capital.

Fans were then targeted by locals trying to steal tickets before heavy-handed police fired tear gas after deciding to close the turnstile gates.

Following the release of an independent review on Monday, UEFA apologised for blaming the club's fans for the chaos prior to kick-off.

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The review, chaired by Dr Tiago Brandao Rodrigues, described the mayhem as a 'large number of near misses that nearly led to disaster'.

He said: "[The final] will be remembered as a moment of suffering for many fans but should also be a reminder of a situation we certainly do not want to witness again in the future at any sporting event in Europe or anywhere in the world."

Liverpool issued a strongly-worded response on Tuesday urging UEFA to ensure there is no repeat of the scenes in Paris.

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A statement read: "Last night UEFA published the Independent Panel Report into the failings that we saw first-hand in Paris and it is within this context that we call on UEFA and others at the top of the football regulation pyramid to come together and take positive and transparent action to ensure there are no more 'near misses'.

"Shocking false narratives were peddled in the immediate aftermath of that night in Paris; narratives that have since been totally disproven.

"The independent French Senate report published in July 2022 found Liverpool supporters were unfairly and wrongly blamed for the chaotic scenes to divert attention from the real organisational failures."

It continued: " The Independent Senate report also published 15 recommendations for improvements. No action has been taken on these recommendations to date.

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"It is shocking that more than 30 years after the Hillsborough disaster any club and our group of fans would be subject to such fundamental safety failings which have had such a devastating impact on so many.

"But even more concerning is the realisation that for families, friends and survivors of Hillsborough, Paris has only exacerbated their suffering. 

"Our thoughts go out to all our fans who have suffered as a result of Paris and we would remind them of the mental health support we put in place in the days following the disaster that was the UEFA Champions League final in Paris.

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"As a football club with proud history in Europe, we call on UEFA to do the right thing and implement the 21 recommendations to ensure the safety of all football supporters attending any future UEFA football match."