Liverpool fans have reacted with disbelief after two French politicians stuck to their guns, blaming them for the chaos that marred the Champions League Final on Saturday.
Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the nation's interior and sports minister repeated to an inquiry on Wednesday that 40,000 fake tickets were in circulation, although official figures show only 2,589 were scanned.
They also claimed that they expected trouble following the European Championship final and made the bizarre statement that had they closed the gates outside the Stade de France there would have been a pitch invasion inside.