Liverpool fans not the worst - Platini

Liverpool fans cannot be blamed for the trouble at the Champions League final in Athens two weeks ago and are not the worst behaved in Europe, Uefa president Michel Platini said today.

Asked whether Liverpool supporters caused the fracas at some of the entry gates before the match against AC Milan at the Olympic Stadium, Platini replied: "No we cannot say that, we cannot point the finger.
   
"The issue is not that they are English or Spanish, one club or another, it is simply about fans who travel without tickets and it can be anyone."
   
The president added: "This is an old story. We know about this, it is just that more English fans follow their clubs than those from other countries.
   
"It is not as if one set of fans are good or one set bad. This is not the question in the end. We cannot go around saying that."
   
Platini, contradicting statements attributed to Uefa officials last week, also said of Liverpool's supporters: "No they are not the worst behaved in Europe. It's official, they are not the worst behaved in Europe."
   
Platini was speaking after a meeting with British sports minister Richard Caborn during which he handed over a report into security problems at last month's Champions League final in which AC Milan beat Liverpool 2-1.
   
Uefa officials had blamed Liverpool fans for causing the majority of the problems before the match, alleging that hundreds of English supporters who had no tickets or forged tickets forced their way into the Olympic Stadium in Athens.
   
An official said Liverpool fans had been involved in 25 incidents at away matches in the last four years making them the worst behaved among followers of clubs in European competition.

It also emerged from today's meeting between Caborn and Platini that Uefa are to use English expertise to try to avoid the problems encountered with Liverpool and Manchester United fans in the Champions League this season.

A working party will be set up by Uefa to look into suitable venues for major European finals and the british sports minister has offered them help from the Football Licensing Authority, the body set up in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster.

Caborn confirmed: "We want to learn from the past and make sure we can have safe grounds for supporters.

"I suggested they set up a working party, which was well-received by Mr Platini, and I have offered the expertise of the Football Licensing Authority who are respected on a worldwide basis.

"They will be looking at major European finals and I hope they can start setting some standards for clubs entering the competitions that they have to meet certain criteria.

"It was a very useful and constructive meeting with Michel Platini and he wants to make sure we do not have a repeat of events in Athens."

Liverpool have been furious at Uefa's criticism of their fans in the report.

Reds skipper Steven Gerrard claims his friends and family who went to the final in Athens found the organisation lacking.

Gerrard said: "It upsets me because we've travelled everywhere together for the six or seven years I've been in the first team.

"From what I've seen their behaviour has been fantastic. I had friends and family at the final. Their opinion was that the organisation wasn't good enough.

"But as far as I'm concerned the European Cup final has got to be in a bigger stadium with better organisation.

"Our set-up wasn't good enough either. Our hotel facilities weren't good enough."