Supporters groups welcome UEFA commitment to implementing report recommendations

Supporters groups have welcomed UEFA’s commitment to implementing the recommendations of a damning report into the chaos which surrounded last season’s Champions League final.

Fans representatives met with the governing body in Liverpool on Tuesday to discuss the findings of an independent review into the events which unfolded in Paris as thousands of Liverpool fans were penned in against perimeter fences and stuck in a motorway underpass ahead of May’s game against Real Madrid.

A statement issued by Football Supporters Europe on its official Twitter account said: “UEFA, Spirit of Shankly, Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association, the Football Supporters Association and Football Supporters Europe met on Tuesday afternoon in Liverpool to have an open discussion on last year’s Champions League final and the conclusions and recommendations of the recently-published UEFA-commissioned independent review.

“The supporter representatives present expressed their expectations of UEFA following the review and acknowledged the sincere apology made by general secretary Theodore Theodoridis, on behalf of UEFA, and the commitment to implementing all key recommendations of the review to improve fan safety an experience at future events.

“UEFA also confirmed it will continue this dialogue with supporter organisations during the publishing and implementation of the operational changes which will be made in response to the report.

“UEFA intends to announce this plan comfortably before the date of 8 May 2023 mentioned in the review.”

General secretary Theodore Theodoridis apologised to the English club’s fans in particular after the report said UEFA bore “primary responsibility for failures”.

Liverpool fans were initially blamed for the congestion amid suggestions that many had arrived without valid tickets.