Uefa blames Liverpool fans

Updated 15.57 Thu May 24 2007

Keywords: Champions League, Uefa, AC Milan, Liverpool, football, sport, Premier League

Liverpool fans are being blamed for the ticketing and disorder problems which overshadowed their 2-1 Champions League final defeat at the hands of AC Milan in Athens.

Supporters were the biggest losers as many with genuine tickets were kept out of the Olympic Stadium, while others reportedly managed to force their way in with forged tickets or none at all.

"Liverpool fans are responsible for the problems before, during and after the game. (They were) trying to go over the barriers to get into the stadium without tickets, which is not the behaviour we can condone" - Uefa's head of communications William Gaillard

But while Liverpool's travelling contingent, some of which were sprayed with tear gas as unhappy groups protested outside the ground, hit out at Uefa's organisation of the event, the head of communications for European football's governing body William Gaillard has turned the blame squarely on unruly fans.

Gaillard, who has revealed Uefa officials are to probe security problems in Athens, said: "It was a suitable venue. It is the stadium where the 2004 European Championships were held and where all the games of the (Greek) national team are held. Unfortunately in Britain it is the behaviour.

"It is very easy to say 'this is not a football stadium'. Milan supporters didn't face the same problems because they didn't behave the same way."

Gaillard has also defended a system that did not include the use of turnstiles and also praised the work of Greek police in containing flashpoints to a minimum.

He added: "In terms of fans pushing yesterday and attempting to get over the barriers, with turnstiles there could have been a tragedy.

"At one point the police were overwhelmed and it is much to their credit that there were no dangerous incidents."