In a rare admission of fault, former French interior minister Gérald Darmanin has formally apologised to Liverpool fans for the chaotic scenes at the 2022 Champions League final, acknowledging his role in wrongly blaming English supporters for the unrest outside the Stade de France.
Speaking in a candid interview on the Legend YouTube channel, Darmanin, now France’s justice minister, described the night as “the biggest failure” of his political career and conceded that early accusations directed at Liverpool fans were both mistaken and unfair.
“It was a failure because I had not foreseen. That was a mistake on my part. I was led astray by my preconceptions,” he said. “The scapegoat was easy to find, and I apologise now to Liverpool supporters. They were quite right to be hurt.”
The final, which saw Real Madrid defeat Liverpool 1-0, was marred by dangerous crowd congestion, police violence, and reports of local gangs targeting fans. Riot police used tear gas and pepper spray on ticket-holding supporters trying to enter the stadium, while others were mugged or assaulted.
Initially, Darmanin and Paris police chief Didier Lallement blamed fake tickets held by Liverpool fans for the crush. That claim was later debunked in an independent UEFA-commissioned report, which cleared supporters of wrongdoing and condemned the French authorities’ poor planning and response.
“Our security arrangements were not designed for that eventuality,” Darmanin admitted. “We got our arrangements wrong. We were expecting a war of hooligans, and what we got instead was muggers. What you need against that kind of delinquency is officers in running shoes — not riot police with big boots and shields.”
The apology comes amid growing scrutiny of public safety in France. Darmanin also sparked controversy in the same interview by claiming “there is no longer any safe place” in the country, citing the spread of drug-related violence even in rural areas. His remarks drew swift backlash from opposition parties, particularly the far-right National Rally, whose MP Jean-Philippe Tanguy accused Darmanin of “treating the French like imbeciles.”
Now 42 and viewed as a possible contender to succeed President Emmanuel Macron in 2027, Darmanin did little to quiet speculation about his ambitions. “Do I think of the presidential election? The answer is yes,” he said, adding that he wants “the country to do better than what I see now.”
For Liverpool fans, the apology is long overdue. But as the political dust settles, many will be left wondering why it took three years for the truth to be acknowledged.
