French authorities have shown the difference between 'real and fake tickets' from the Champions League Final as they face continued pressure for their handling of Liverpool fans.
In a press conference held by France's Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera on Monday, May 30, she continued to blame ticketless Liverpool supporters and fake ticket s for the chaos ahead of the Champions League final in Paris on Saturday. Reds fans outside the stadium were subjected to tear-gas attacks and 'dangerous funnelling' which led to crushes.
Interior minister Gérald Darmanin said "massive, industrial-scale" ticket fraud had caused Liverpool fans to turn up en masse, and said there were about 30 arrests made at the Stade de France with "more than half concerned British citizens". He said there were between 30,000 to 40,000 Liverpool fans with fake tickets or without tickets outside the stadium.
READ MORE: Liverpool FC issue request to all fans who went to Champions League final
Mr Darmanin also defended the police's actions. He said: "The decisions taken prevented deaths or serious injury. We regret a disorganisation in the admission of British supporters."
The French Minister showed journalists at the press conference what they claimed was the difference between 'real and fake' tickets.
Oudéa-Castéra also told the French Radio station RTL there were "no problems" regarding Real supporters and the Spanish side had controlled their travelling fans better than Liverpool.
She said: "What happened, first of all, was this mass gathering of the British supporters of the Liverpool club, without tickets, or with fake tickets. When there are that many people by the entrance to the stadium, there will be people trying to force their way in through the doors of the Stade de France, and a certain number of youths from the nearby area who were present tried to get in by mixing in with the crowd.
"The fact that the Real Madrid club has supervised the coming of its supporters to Paris to such an extent, by scheduling buses from the airport and organizing everything from start to finish — which contrasted sharply with what the Liverpool club did, letting its supporters out in the wild — made a huge difference."
Merseyside Police praised fans for their 'exemplary' behaviour under difficult circumstances, while MP Ian Byrne has also called for an investigation into the events on Saturday.
Liverpool FC is asking all supporters who attended the game, at the Stade de France, to share their experiences and send pictures and video of the final. The form can be accessed online here and will also be sent via email directly to supporters who purchased a ticket for the game. Liverpool also thanked fans in advance for taking the time to complete the form.
