UEFA issued a damning report on the behavior of Liverpool’s fans during the Champions League final in Athens nearly two weeks ago, saying Reds fans have consistently been the worst supporters in European soccer. “We know what happened in Athens, and Liverpool fans were the cause of most of the trouble there,” said William Gaillard, a spokesperson for the European governing body. He added: “There have been 25 incidents involving Liverpool fans away from home since 2003 and these are in the report — most teams’ supporters do not cause any trouble at all… What other fans steal tickets from fellow fans or from the hands of children?”
Liverpool and English officials believe UEFA is trying to cover its own blushes over poor preparation for the final in Athens. Lax security measures, including an unlocked metal gate that could be opened to walk into the stadium and the acceptance of fake tickets by gatekeepers, contributed to swift overpopulation, which led to angry fans with legitimate tickets being turned away and ultimately, detained by police as they protested. The executives in the BBC report also pointed to several instances where Liverpool fans were commended for good behavior — notably the Champions League semifinal against Chelsea.
UEFA President Michel Platini will no doubt have to say something about this, but for the time being, no sanctions have been handed to the English giant, indicating that UEFA might be trying to cover its blushes by placing blame elsewhere.