Platini rows back from UEFA criticism of Liverpool

BRUSSELS, June 5 (Reuters) Liverpool fans are not the worst behaved in Europe, UEFA president Michel Platini said today.

Platini, contradicting statements attributed to UEFA officials last week, told Reuters: ''No they are not, 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 between Liverpool and AC Milan.

UEFA had blamed Liverpool fans for causing the majority of the problems before the match, alleging that hundreds of English fans 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.

REUTERS TB RK2014