French authorities have displayed real and fake Champions League final tickets at a press conference, following the chaotic scenes at the Stade de France. Sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera reiterated a baseless claim that the distressing events before the match were caused by '30 to 40,000' Liverpool supporters who arrived without tickets.
Interior minister Gerald Darmanin admitted regrets about the policing of the event but also shifted blame onto Liverpool fans and what he described as 'massive, industrial-scale and organised fraud with fake tickets'. The fake tickets shown differ subtly from the real ones, notably in typeface, and the QR code on the fake leads to a Google search of Liverpool FC rather than a valid code.
Oudea-Castera claimed that 'this mass gathering of the British supporters of the Liverpool club, without tickets, or with fake tickets' was the primary cause, and that 'between 30,000 and 40,000' Liverpool fans were without valid tickets. She contrasted this with Real Madrid's organisation, saying they had 'supervised the coming of its supporters'.
However, those on the ground noted that a significant number of locals had gathered with an intent to cause trouble. Ted Morris, head of Liverpool's Disabled Supporters' Association, told Mirror Football that 'hundreds' of locals were present after the game, hurling missiles and attempting to pickpocket visitors. He urged UEFA to hold officials and French police accountable.
The British government is calling for a full investigation. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said that reports of authorised ticket holders being denied entry do not 'chime with the experience of many of those standing outside the stadium'. The spokesman criticised UEFA's claim that the delay was caused by late arrival of fans.
