Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has given his view on the recent report commissioned by UEFA on the events in Paris during last season’s Champions League final.
Thousands of Liverpool fans experienced severe difficulties accessing the Stade de France last May, after being penned in by police and refused entry to the stadium. They were later accused of possessing fake tickets and tear-gassed despite complying with orders of those in power.
The report commissioned by UEFA, published last week, has since found UEFA bore 'primary responsibility' for the chaotic situation created before kick-off, describing it as 'remarkable' no-one died as a result of the significant congestion of fans who were instructed to gather in the same location before many were wrongly turned away.
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Gerrard was in the Stade de France that day, and is working as a pundit for Liverpool’s Champions League last-16 first leg against Real Madrid this evening at Anfield.
When asked for his thoughts on the report, Gerrard told BT Sport: “I think that news was very welcome in this stadium and amongst every Liverpool fan because it’s not good enough.
“I think the treatment on the night was a disgrace. I think it’s the only time as a pundit I’ve never really enjoyed it - we didn’t have no signal inside the ground, no internet connection.
“We were getting the wrong information fed to us and there was a lot of confusion.
“You have family and friends that are outside the stadium and the treatment was a disgrace basically.
“Thankfully the independent investigations have come clear and there’s no blame for Liverpool fans which is important.”
Gerrard also spoke about the reaction from Liverpool supporters that day in Paris, and in the day, weeks and months later. The former Reds captain believes that accountability is needed following the publication of the report.
“That’s what Liverpool fans do, they stick together, they try and help each other and they’re there for each other,” said Gerrard.
“I think the important thing now as well as moving forward is there needs to be accountability.
“This investigation took too long and now that it’s clear and the truth’s out, someone needs to be held accountable and we’ll see what happens moving forward.
Jake Humphrey and Rio Ferdinand were working alongside Gerrard as pundits on Tuesday night. Humphrey took the opportunity to apologise for the misinformation that was broadcast during last season’s final in Paris.
“We are hugely regretful that we were reading out those false statements, the only statements shared on the big screens as we were inside the stadium was a completely false narrative,” said Humphrey, on behalf of BT Sport.
“I just want to say sorry to all the people involved in this football club, the stress was added to you because of us sharing that information, which we now know to be completely false.
“The truth is that those football fans that were being accused were out there saving the lives of other football fans, including our family members and our friends.”
Humphrey later added: “If lessons aren’t learned, then next time that this happens there could be even more of a tragedy than we saw on that night in Paris.
“So let’s hope those lessons are taken on board, absolutely, but it can’t be repeated often enough - Liverpool fans absolutely not to blame for what happened that evening despite the initial messaging that came from the governing body.”
When asked for his thoughts on the report and last season’s events in Paris, Ferdinand echoed the views of Gerrard and called for accountability.
“It just screams prejudice and jumping to conclusions before anything’s even happened,” said Ferdinand.
“For us to be in the stadium and to feel like - and we’re not even in the stands, we’re in a protected area - but we still felt quite vulnerable ourselves and we were nowhere near what the fans were feeling.
“Even walking around the stadium, I was on edge a little bit because of the way that the police were treating people, all the fans in the stadium.
“There needs to be accountability as Stevie said, and somebody needs to be put to the sword for this.
“There has to be some people come to the fore and say ‘we got this wrong.’ The police are a big part of that.”
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