Although the controversial FIFA World Cup has begun in Qatar, Liverpool fans' attention is fixed on the impending UEFA report into the Champions League final disaster.
UEFA announced it was commissioning an independent report into the disastrous events in the days after the final. The match at Paris' Stade de France will be remembered for the scenes before and after - where fans were crushed at the entry, tear gassed by police, and robbed by local gangs.
The organisers of the event between Liverpool and Real Madrid initially blamed fake tickets and supporters for the issues but their claims drew widespread criticism. A French Senate inquiry exonerated Liverpool fans of any blame and found "a chain of administrative errors" to be the "cause of the chaos".
READ MORE: 'Vile' Hillsborough chants at Liverpool FC reinforce need for UEFA Paris transparency
A BBC Panorama documentary last month highlighted how the responsibility for the event stopped at the authorities in charge. Experts told the documentary that the fans' calm response was the main reason the overcrowding outside the stadium did not result in fatalities.
And an independent review led by Professor Phil Scraton, who previously led a review into the Hillsborough disaster, was also released. The panel review found : "Responsibility for the collapse in authority, management and safety, lies with those organising and administering the event.”
Some of the key findings from the review found the police were overly aggressive and there was inadequate provision for crowd safety and event management. Fans were left traumatised by unprovoked assaults by the police and local gangs.
The review also heard there was inadequate pre-match preparation by UEFA and the Paris agencies - and there was an abject failure by UEFA in meeting its responsibilities. UEFA apologised to fans in June but said it would not be commenting further before the release of its own report.
UEFA said the independent group, led by Dr Tiago Brandão Rodrigues aimed to have the final report delivered and published by November. Speaking ahead of the investigation's launch, Dr Rodrigues said: “The events of 28 May were distressing for everyone involved. This review aims to look at the evidence dispassionately and to identify responsibilities and ways forward. I am very pleased with the responsiveness of the experts we have contacted, and I am confident we can make a significant contribution to future events’ planning."
Fans will hope the UEFA report addresses the notable failings highlighted in Professor Scraton's independent review last month. UEFA will potentially also face legal battles following the release of their report, with Liverpool firm Binghams and group litigation specialist Pogust Goodhead bringing a claim against the governing body.
The claim is currently supported by over 2,000 Liverpool fans who were left with "psychological and physical scars". Tony Winterburn, partner at Pogust Goodhead, told the ECHO: "Any legal action, which we will bring in conjunction with Liverpool based firm Binghams, will not just be about getting compensation for those affected but it will also be vital that they, and we, understand why this happened and, perhaps more importantly, that it is prevented from occurring again.”
The ECHO wrote last month UEFA needed to be completely transparent when it comes to the governing body's part in the Paris disaster. We should be just days away from finding out if that's the case.
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