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French Minister Apologizes to Liverpool Fans for 2022 Champions League Final Blame

(FILES) Liverpool fans stand outside unable to get in in time leading to the match being delayed prior to the UEFA Champions League final football match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on May 28, 2022. (Photo by Thomas COEX / AFP)
(FILES) Liverpool fans stand outside unable to get in in time leading to the match being delayed prior to the UEFA Champions League final football match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on May 28, 2022. (Photo by Thomas COEX / AFP)
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French Minister Apologizes to Liverpool Fans for 2022 Champions League Final Blame

(FILES) Liverpool fans stand outside unable to get in in time leading to the match being delayed prior to the UEFA Champions League final football match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on May 28, 2022. (Photo by Thomas COEX / AFP)
(FILES) Liverpool fans stand outside unable to get in in time leading to the match being delayed prior to the UEFA Champions League final football match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on May 28, 2022. (Photo by Thomas COEX / AFP)

France's former interior minister Gerald Darmanin has apologized to Liverpool fans for wrongly blaming them for the chaos at the Stade de France during the 2022 Champions League final in Paris.
Darmanin, now serving as the justice minister, admitted that security arrangements for the final between Liverpool and Real Madrid were inadequate, and that his previous public remarks blaming English fans were a mistake in reports carried by British media on Monday.
Fans were caught in dangerous crowd congestion outside the Stade de France before the match, which was delayed for over 30 minutes. French police were filmed using tear gas on fans, who complained of heavy-handed treatment as they were herded into pens outside the stadium.
Darmanin held a joint press conference with other French ministers two days after the match, and blamed the disorder on "English fans" and their possession of fake tickets.
He has now retracted his comments and called the night "the biggest failure" of his career in an interview on the French Legend show on YouTube, Reuters reported.
"What I did not appreciate that evening was that the real problem was not coming from English supporters, but from delinquents who were robbing fans," he said.
"Because I hadn't checked what was happening properly, which was my mistake, and because I gave in to preconceived ideas... the culprit was easy (to designate), and I apologize to Liverpool fans. Of course they were right to (feel upset)."
In March, European soccer governing body UEFA lost its bid to throw out lawsuits brought by hundreds of Liverpool fans who attended the Champions League final for personal injuries allegedly caused in the chaos outside the stadium.

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Mercedes' Russell Fastest in First Practice for Japan GP

Mercedes' George Russell was fastest in the first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix. Philip FONG / AFP
Mercedes' George Russell was fastest in the first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix. Philip FONG / AFP
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Mercedes' Russell Fastest in First Practice for Japan GP

Mercedes' George Russell was fastest in the first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix. Philip FONG / AFP
Mercedes' George Russell was fastest in the first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix. Philip FONG / AFP

George Russell went fastest ahead of team-mate Kimi Antonelli in an eventful first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix on Friday as Mercedes continued their dominant start to the Formula One season.

Mercedes have claimed one-two finishes at both grands prix so far and they were again out in front in dry, sunny conditions at Suzuka, AFP reported.

Early championship leader Russell clocked a fastest lap of 1min 31.666sec to pip 19-year-old Antonelli, who won the first grand prix of his career in China two weeks ago, by 0.026sec.

World champion Lando Norris was third, followed by his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, and Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

Red Bull's four-time world champion Max Verstappen was seventh, 0.791sec off Russell.

Norris, who along with Piastri did not start the Chinese Grand Prix because of a technical issue with his car, came out early but was then grounded for the first half of the session.

Alex Albon lost the nose of his Williams after crashing into Cadillac's Sergio Perez late in the session.

Albon had earlier skidded off the track and driven deep into the gravel before clipping a barrier on his way back.

Verstappen had a wobble when he tried to accelerate out of a corner.

His Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar also struggled, telling his team early in the session that his car was "pulling".

Aston Martin replaced Fernando Alonso with reserve driver Jak Crawford for the session.

Alonso arrived in Japan late following the birth of his first child.

Sports

Man City's Rodri Keeps Door Open to Real Madrid Move

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Manchester City v Exeter City - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 10, 2026 Manchester City's Rodri celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Peter Powell/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Manchester City v Exeter City - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 10, 2026 Manchester City's Rodri celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Peter Powell/File Photo
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Man City's Rodri Keeps Door Open to Real Madrid Move

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Manchester City v Exeter City - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 10, 2026 Manchester City's Rodri celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Peter Powell/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Manchester City v Exeter City - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 10, 2026 Manchester City's Rodri celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Peter Powell/File Photo

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has kept the door open to a possible move to Real Madrid as he enters the final year of his contract with the Premier League club, saying he cannot turn down the world's top teams and that a return to LaLiga would appeal to him.

The 29-year-old Madrid native began his senior career at Villarreal before signing for Atletico Madrid in 2018. He moved to City a year later ⁠and has since ⁠enjoyed a highly successful spell in England, winning the Champions League once and four Premier League titles among a host of major honors.

"Would I like to play in Spain again, in LaLiga, in Madrid? I'd like to return, yes, obviously," Rodri told Onda Cero's Radioestadio Noche program ahead of ⁠Spain's friendly against Serbia on Friday.

"I have a year left on my contract; there will come a point when we'll have to sit down and talk."

Rodri, who is working his way back to top form after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in 2024, said having played for Atletico would not prevent him from making a move to their city rivals.

Former Atletico players to have made that switch include goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and forward Alvaro Morata.

"There are other players who have gone ⁠down that ⁠path - not straight away, but in time. You can't turn down the best clubs in the world," Rodri added, according to Reuters.

Rodri also played down any suggestion of rivalry with Vinicius Jr after Real boycotted the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony, when the City midfielder won the award ahead of the Brazilian winger.

"I think they wanted to pit Vinicius and me against each other, but not at all," Rodri said. "I have great respect for him and for everything he did that year too. In the end, it's other people - third parties - who decide who wins the Ballon d'Or."

Sports

PSG's Ligue 1 Visit to Lens Postponed to Aid Champions League Preparations

FILED - 26 November 2024, Bavaria, Munich: Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi in action during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between PSG and Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
FILED - 26 November 2024, Bavaria, Munich: Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi in action during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between PSG and Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
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PSG's Ligue 1 Visit to Lens Postponed to Aid Champions League Preparations

FILED - 26 November 2024, Bavaria, Munich: Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi in action during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between PSG and Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
FILED - 26 November 2024, Bavaria, Munich: Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi in action during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between PSG and Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa

Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain's visit to second-placed Lens, set for April 11, has been postponed to May 13 to allow them more time to prepare for their Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) said on Thursday.

Strasbourg's visit to Brest, scheduled for April 12, has also been moved to May 13 to help them prepare for ⁠their Europa Conference League ⁠last-eight clashes with Mainz, Reuters quoted the LFP as saying in a statement.

"These decisions are in line with the board of directors’ clear strategic aim of enabling France to retain its fifth place in ⁠the UEFA coefficient rankings, which secures four places in the UEFA Champions League," the LFP said.

PSG, the reigning European champions, host Liverpool three days before the Lens fixture and travel to Anfield for the second leg on April 14.

PSG and Lens are separated by one point in Ligue 1, with ⁠PSG ⁠having a game in hand. Lens had earlier pushed back against PSG's request.

"It seems to us, in fact, that a worrying sentiment is taking hold: that of a French league gradually being relegated to the status of an adjustment variable at the whim of certain parties' European imperatives," Lens said in a statement on Monday.