UEFA blamed for Champions League final chaos that "nearly led to disaster"

European soccer governing body UEFA apologised to Liverpool for initially blaming the Merseyside club's fans for the mayhem following the release of an independent review on Monday.

The final was delayed by 36 minutes after thousands of Liverpool supporters were unable to get into the Stade de France for the match on May 28th, which Real won 1-0, while French police were filmed using tear gas on fans including women and children.

UEFA and French authorities at the time blamed the chaos on ticket fraud, although the review said there was no evidence to support such claims.

The final "will be remembered as a moment of suffering for many fans but should also be a reminder of a situation we certainly do not want to witness again in the future at any sporting event in Europe or anywhere in the world," said Tiago Brandao Rodrigues, a member of Portugal's parliament, who chaired the investigation.

"Avoiding future disasters and improving the service provided at football events was the aim of the Panel’s work during this process," he added in the 220-page review, which had a panel including legal, policing and event-management consultants as well as representatives from fan groups.

UEFA General Secretary Theodore Theodoridis said the soccer body "would like to apologise most sincerely once again to all those who were affected by the events that unfolded on what should have been a celebration at the pinnacle of the club season."

He added: "In particular, I would like to apologise to the supporters of Liverpool FC for the experiences many of them had when attending the game and for the messages released prior to and during the game which had the effect of unjustly blaming them for the situation leading to the delayed kick-off."

Liverpool welcome UEFA report

Liverpool said they were disappointed that they had not received a copy of the report before it surfaced in several British media outlets hours before it was officially released.

"It's hugely disappointing that a report of such significance, such importance to football supporters’ lives and future safety, should be leaked and published in this way," the Merseyside club said in a statement.

"It's been over eight months of work by the independent panel and it is only right and proper to publish the contents of the report to our supporters appropriately."

Despite that grievance, Liverpool welcomed the findings of the review, calling on the European soccer governing body to "take positive and transparent action" to ensure the safety of fans.

"(The report) fully vindicates Liverpool fans while finding UEFA primarily responsible for organisational failings, absence of overall control or oversight of safety and security, poor planning and lack of contingency plans," Liverpool said in a statement on Tuesday.

"The evidence-based panel report also found that there was 'a clear and immediate danger of a fatal crush' and that the action of Liverpool supporters saved lives."

"... we call on UEFA and others at the top of the football regulation pyramid to come together and take positive and transparent action to ensure there are no more 'near misses'," Liverpool added.

"We implore UEFA to fully enact the recommendations as outlined by the panel, no matter how difficult, to ensure supporter safety is the number one priority at the heart of every UEFA football fixture."

The report added that the parallels between last year's Champions League final and the 1989 Hillsborough soccer stadium disaster - in which 97 Liverpool supporters lost their lives - were "palpable".

"It is shocking that more than 30 years after the Hillsborough disaster any club and our group of fans would be subject to such fundamental safety failings which have had such a devastating impact on so many," Liverpool said.

"But even more concerning is the realisation that for families, friends and survivors of Hillsborough, Paris has only exacerbated their suffering.

" Our thoughts go out to all our fans who have suffered as a result of Paris and we would remind them of the mental health support we put in place in the days following the disaster that was the UEFA Champions League final in Paris."