Liverpool officials have stepped up their attacks on European governing body UEFA for its claims that the club's fans are the worst behaved in Europe.

Club co-owner Tom Hicks in particular blasted the UEFA spokesman William Gaillard saying he "doesn't know what he's talking about."

UEFA president Michel Platini is to present a report to British Sports Minister Richard Caborn in Brussels later Tuesday which is believed to be highly critical of the behaviour of Liverpool fans in the last four years.

In particular, the report targets the conduct of Liverpool fans in Athens before the Champions League final against AC Milan last month. At that game, fans without tickets or with fakes were able to gain access to the stadium at the expense of genuine ticket-holders and Greek police had to use tear gas in a bid to quell the chaos.

Hicks though says that it was UEFA that was to blame for the problems.

"UEFA did not handle this right at all. To give 17,000 tickets to the two teams, particularly knowing Liverpool are going to bring 40,000 fans, is insane," the American said..

"It's a classic case of a bureaucrat trying to take the pressure off himself. They didn't handle it right, they didn't have proper ticketing procedures and unfortunately there were counterfeit tickets.

"There were fans who paid their hard-earned money to get their tickets and they get to the stadium and are told there is no more room. Are they (the fans) mad? Sure they're mad."