The incidents on the sidelines of the Champions League final, Saturday at the Stade de France, reside above all in the presence of supporters with “false tickets”, according to Gérald Darmanin. The Minister of the Interior held a press conference on Monday to explain the excesses that had occurred, brandishing the “root evil” which was a “massive, organized and industrial fraud” from across the Channel. Many English fans had made the trip to support Liverpool, beaten in the C1 final by Real Madrid (1-0).
This difficulty in ensuring everyone’s safety, coupled with the delay of more than 30 minutes for the kick-off of the match, has raised questions about France’s ability to organize the Rugby World Cup in 2023, as well as the Olympics. Paris in 2024. “The comparison with the Rugby World Cup or the Olympic Games seems disproportionate to me, knowing that it is obviously only in football and with certain English clubs that there are these events”, replied Darmanin.
The Minister of the Interior then blamed “the Liverpool coach who, a few days ago, it is public, called to come to France for supporters even without tickets”. Three weeks before the final, Jürgen Klopp had actually suggested that Reds fans cross the Channel, even if only to celebrate.
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“I don’t want to bring people to Paris but this time the city is big enough. I did it the last time for Basel (in 2016 for the Europa League final, editor’s note) and people looked at me like that (he mimics astonishment, editor’s note). But I think Paris is big enough to go there without a ticket and have a good time. Hold on tight and be in the best possible mood,” Klopp said.
Darmanin estimated “between 30,000 and 40,000 British supporters without tickets or with falsified tickets” at the Stade de France on Saturday. Figures and accusations that have provoked skepticism in Great Britain, like the former striker Gary Lineker who described as “bullshit” the words of the Minister of the Interior.
