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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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French Open Odds against Djokovic as Time Running out for Record 25th Slam

Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 26, 2025 Serbia's Novak Djokovic reacts during his round of 64 match against Italy's Matteo Arnaldi REUTERS/Juan Medina/File Photo
Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 26, 2025 Serbia's Novak Djokovic reacts during his round of 64 match against Italy's Matteo Arnaldi REUTERS/Juan Medina/File Photo
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French Open Odds against Djokovic as Time Running out for Record 25th Slam

Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 26, 2025 Serbia's Novak Djokovic reacts during his round of 64 match against Italy's Matteo Arnaldi REUTERS/Juan Medina/File Photo
Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 26, 2025 Serbia's Novak Djokovic reacts during his round of 64 match against Italy's Matteo Arnaldi REUTERS/Juan Medina/File Photo

If there is one tennis player who knows how to beat the odds when they are stacked against him, it is 24-times Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.

The 38-year-old Serbian's bid for a fourth French Open crown looks more unlikely than in many years, with Djokovic struggling for form since his run to the Australian Open semi-finals back in January before retiring injured.

Since then Djokovic, who has 99 tour titles to his name and is in the twilight of a glorious career, has reached only one final and has not lifted a trophy this year.

After two early losses in Monte Carlo and Madrid, it was clear that Djokovic's attempt to claim a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam could be his hardest yet, according to Reuters.

"(It is) kind of a new reality for me, I have to say, trying to win a match or two, not really thinking about getting far in the tournament," Djokovic said after his early Madrid exit.

He was expected to jumpstart his clay campaign in Rome before returning to Paris, where he won Olympic gold last year, but he skipped the Italian Open without giving a reason.

Instead he picked up a surprise wild card for the Geneva Open this week, in what looks like a last-ditch attempt to get some more matches on clay under his belt before Paris.

News of the wild card came as Djokovic split with his coach Andy Murray after only a few months working together.

Djokovic appointed fellow former world number one Murray ahead of this year's Australian Open and the Serb said at the Qatar Open in February that he would continue working with the Scot for an indefinite period.

That time, however, ended abruptly last week with the Djokovic-Murray partnership yielding no titles and one losing final in Miami.

Their partnership is now officially over as Djokovic heads towards the French Open in a cloud of uncertainty over his form and future.

The world number six has struggled to assert his dominance after winning three out of the four Grand Slams in 2023.

There is even more uncertainty over his chances of reaching the last major goal in his illustrious career: adding that elusive 25th record Grand Slam to his collection to move past Margaret Court on the all-time winners' list.