Why Liverpool fans boo the Champions League anthem

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Why do Liverpool fans boo the Champions League anthem? Many have been asking after jeers were heard ahead of kick-off against Real Madrid.

Jürgen Klopp‘s side were treated like royalty by the Liverpool supporters ahead of the Champions League Round of 16 clash, although the atmosphere soured inside Anfield just before István Kovács got the game underway.

However, the boos were not aimed at the Liverpool players.

So, why did the Liverpool fans boo the Champions League anthem? Let’s take a look…

Why do Liverpool fans boo the Champions League anthem?

Well, the boos were in relation to the chaotic scenes outside of the Stade de France back in May.

An independent report about UEFA’s organisation of the Champions League final in Paris incredibly claimed that it was “remarkable” nobody lost their life, as fans were crushed, attacked by locals and also pepper-sprayed by authorities.

UEFA have since issued an apology, although clearly, the Liverpool fans are not accepting it.

In addition to the boos aimed at UEFA, Spion Kop 1906 – a Liverpool fan group – arranged for banners to be held up in protest of UEFA’s shambolic handling of the showpiece event.

One banner read “UEFA liars” while another had “UEFA Champions League of Deniers” written on it as Liverpool fans voiced their anger at Aleksander Čeferin – President of UEFA – and others at the helm.

To make matters worse, UEFA and the French authorities even tried to blame Liverpool fans for what happened.

Inside the Stade de France back in May, after kick-off was delayed by 36 minutes, a message on the screen pointed the finger at Liverpool fans arriving late, when that could not have been further from the truth.

Why do Liverpool fans not sing the national anthem?

This isn’t the first time that Liverpool fans have united themselves against the higher-ups.

As seen at Wembley in both the Carabao Cup final and the FA Cup final last season, Liverpool fans also refuse to sing the national anthem – with some booing it instead – in what is said to be a protest against the establishment’s neglect of the city.

Those feelings were strengthened in the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster, and there remains a firm disparity between Liverpool and the rest of England as a result.