Ex-French interior minister apologises to Liverpool fans for making them a ‘scapegoat’
Guardian3 days
French Minister Apologizes for Blaming Liverpool Fans
Above: French Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin departs the weekly cabinet meeting at the Élysée Palace, Paris, March 26, 2025. Image copyright: LUDOVIC MARIN/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
This apology is too little, too late after Liverpool fans were wrongly vilified. Darmanin's false claims about 40,000 fake tickets and hooliganism revived painful memories of past tragedies where Liverpool supporters were unfairly blamed. The minister's conduct was indefensible, and while Liverpool fans will note his apology, they will neither forgive nor forget.
Narrative B
The chaos at the 2022 Champions League final stemmed from a rushed relocation after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, leaving authorities with little time to prepare. Security forces anticipated the wrong threats, and logistical issues like train outages worsened the situation. Similar problems at other major finals, however, highlight that this is a broader issue, and not unique to Paris.