Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has urged those responsible to learn from their mistakes after the findings from an independent review into organisational issues at last season's Champions League final were revealed earlier this week.
The showpiece clash last May between Liverpool and Real Madrid – which the latter won 1-0 – was twice delayed before kick-off at the Stade de France, with fans unable to enter the ground and tear-gassed by police.
UEFA initially blamed Liverpool fans attempting entry with "fake tickets" before an independent review, commissioned by European football's governing body, said it was in fact the organisers who had been responsible.
The report released on Monday apportioned "primary responsibility" to UEFA, while also criticising the actions of the French Football Federation and local police authorities.
Liverpool have demanded action from UEFA following what the report described as a "near-miss", while club captain Jordan Henderson said it must be a "turning point" for the treatment of fans.
"I think it's super-important that, finally, it's official, let me say it like this," Klopp told Liverpool's official website. "I'm not sure, at least in my life, there was never a case with more evidence, where I knew more about [it] when I was not directly involved, because I was on the other side of the wall in the stadium, pretty much.
"But families, friends, they were all there and everybody knew how our supporters behaved, but it really feels good, it feels just right that it's now official and everybody knows it now because there were so many things said after the game, which we knew they were wrong. It was just lies. So, I'm really happy that it's finally said officially."
The report outlined 21 recommendations for avoiding similar incidents in future, including for safety and security to be at the forefront of planning and matches to be managed with a "facilitation and service" approach towards supporters, rather than viewing them as a public order problem.
"There were big mistakes made," Klopp added. "That they had to change the venue a few months before [from Saint Petersburg to Paris due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine]... I understand and that's difficult. But to put it into a stadium which is not used regularly, so just for some big events and stuff like this and not all the time.
"So, as an example, I'm German and this is why I say it, but as an example if you used Berlin – a big city, enough hotels, is used to having every two weeks big events with 70,000 people in the stadium and stuff like that, it would have been exactly the same, but the supporters wouldn't have been from Germany, but from Spain and England [and] that would be the only difference.
".Big events are organised so often and when you are under pressure, you have time pressure, you still have to make the right decisions and that's [a] responsibility for specific people. And so yes, I hope they listen, I hope they learn."
The report also said that deaths being avoided was only "a matter of chance," and mainly down to the behaviour of fans.
"I think we were really lucky that not more happened," Klopp said. "It was a day of, I'm not sure how you say it, but the day of 'goodwill lies' – when you have to lie to protect the other person.
"Because we all had messages from our people outside before the game and then the game got delayed, so we started looking at the smartphone again, 'What's happening?' We knew because people couldn't get in and everybody said, 'No, I'm fine, I'm fine...' and nobody was fine. Nobody was fine.
"Then the game started and I heard from people that everybody who was in the stadium was just there and thought, 'I made it somehow, wow.' It was not the mood you are in when you want to watch a Champions League final.
"So what it all took away and the strangest thing is that after the game, like an hour after the game, the least important information on that night was that we lost the final. That's really crazy. And that shows just how it all went."
Ultimately, Klopp just wants lessons to be learned, adding: "When you hear it [for the] first time, you cannot believe it, that that all happened in that time, but it did.
"So, yes, there's a lot to improve and I hope everybody learned from it."
I’m buzzing – hat-trick hero Cole Palmer thanks Chelsea for opportunity to join
Cole Palmer is grateful for the opportunity Chelsea gave him to join the club after he celebrated successive home hat-tricks when he scored four times in the Blues’ 6-0 win over Everton.
The Manchester City academy graduate, who joined the Blues last summer, scored a spectacular individual goal to open the scoring.
Palmer scored a header and added a third when he capitalised on a Jordan Pickford error before converting a penalty in the second half. Nicolas Jackson and Alfie Gilchrist also got on the scoresheet as the Toffees came completely unstuck.
It was Palmer’s second home triple in a row, following his three goals against Manchester United earlier this month.
Palmer told Chelsea’s official website: “To make the decision to come to Chelsea was a big one for me and my family, but I just wanted to play football. I’m thankful to Chelsea for the opportunity and I’m buzzing.
“We started well and to score a hat-trick, I’m buzzing. I think the team needed that after last Sunday and some previous games. We did well tonight. It was a great game for the team and me.”
Palmer showed wonderful skill for his first goal after he jinked past Jarrad Branthwaite, receiving a flick-on from Jackson before he produced a first-time curled effort from outside the box into the bottom left-hand corner.
The 21-year-old added: “I think my first one was my favourite.
“My right-footed goal was a bit of a swinger, but my first one was probably my favourite. As an attacker, you always want to help the team with goals and assists, but my main focus was playing well and trying to get into the positions to score goals.”
Manager Mauricio Pochettino heaped praise on Palmer, who is now joint top in the Premier League’s Golden Boot race with Erling Haaland on 20 goals each.
He said: “I don’t judge the player when we sign (them) but I expected the best. It doesn’t surprise us, he’s a player who has had the capacity to score goals when he was playing at Manchester City. He has the capacity to score easily.
“The way he’s adapted, playing and performing is fantastic. He behaves like a top scorer and I think it’s amazing for the team and him.”
Football rumours: Chelsea seeking new Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk deals
The Sun reports that Chelsea are seeking contract extensions for midfielder Enzo Fernandez and winger Mykhailo Mudryk. The two 23-year-olds’ previous long-term deals would be extended by another year.
The Daily Mail reports that Liverpool are considering Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson as a potential replacement for Caoimhin Kelleher.
According to the Telegraph, ex-Chelsea and Everton boss Frank Lampard has dropped out of the running to become the new head coach of Canada’s national team.
Social media round-upPlayers to watchTosin Adarabioyo: Tottenham have made an offer to the Fulham defender, says Teamtalk, as they try to beat Manchester United in the race to sign the 26-year-old.
Viktor Gyokeres: Manchester United are keen on the Sweden striker from Sporting Lisbon but fear Liverpool may scupper their signing chances, reports HITC.
Djed Spence: Tottenham’s 23-year-old right-back is one of several senior players expected to leave the club this summer, claims Football Insider.
On this day in 2016: Aston Villa relegated from Premier League
Aston Villa were relegated from the Premier League following a 1-0 defeat away to Manchester United on this day in 2016.
Marcus Rashford’s 32nd-minute goal condemned Villa to the second tier of English football for the first time in 28 years.
Rudy Gestede hit the post with a volley late on but there was no delaying what was by then the inevitable.
It was a ninth straight defeat and 24th of the campaign for Villa in a dire season.
They would finish with only three wins and 17 points, half the tally of 19th-placed Norwich, and 22 points adrift of safety.
Villa, the 1982 European Cup winners, had been part of the Premier League since its inception and in the top flight since 1988.
But the 2015-16 season quickly turned into a horror show and they had been bottom of the table since the start of November.
Manager Remi Garde had left the previous month and Villa travelled to Old Trafford under the leadership of caretaker boss Eric Black, who never had any realistic hope of turning the tide as fans turned on the club’s American owner Randy Lerner.
At Old Trafford they were comfortably outplayed by Louis van Gaal’s United side, who were in a tight battle with neighbours City for fourth place and Champions League football – one in which they would ultimately come out second best on goal difference.
Villa spent the next three seasons in the Championship before returning to the top flight via the play-offs in 2019.
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