Champions League final in Munich, but Paris locks down for fear of riots if home club PSG wins
PARIS, May 30 — Paris will deploy 5,400 police officers for Saturday's UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan, police chief Laurent Nunez said on Friday in an interview with French broadcaster Cnews.
Although the match will be held in Munich, a PSG victory would be expected to spark celebrations in the club's home city which could escalate into disturbances.
In light of the incident in Liverpool earlier this week in which a car ploughed into soccer fans, Nunez said traffic around the Arc de Triomphe – one of the city's best-known landmarks – will be blocked from midday Saturday, with the Champs-Élysées boulevard and nearby streets also closed that evening.
PSG's win over Arsenal earlier this month, which secured their place in the final, sparked a night of unrest in Paris, with 47 people arrested and three others injured after being hit by a car.
'From 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) this Saturday, there will be no more traffic on the Champs-Élysées and in the perpendicular streets,' Nunez said.
'Individuals who come solely to commit vandalism and loot businesses, that's a pattern we're obviously working to systematically put an end to. That will also be the case on Saturday evening,' he added.
'We will obviously be extremely firm. As soon as there is damage, attacks on law enforcement, there will be interventions.' — Reuters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
3 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Andreeva's lucky charm helps her into French Open's last 16
Mirra Andreeva said she knew she had to fight for every ball and get the drop shots. (AP pic) PARIS : Mirra Andreeva had her lucky charm on her bench for her third-round clash against Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva, but left her opponent no chance in a 6-3 6-1 victory on Saturday. The sixth seed, who won the Indian Wells and Dubai top-tier tournaments this year, set up a meeting with Australia's Daria Kasatkina. 'I knew Yulia is a very tricky player, she has an interesting game and it's uncomfortable for me. She likes to cut the rhythm a lot, I knew it would be tough,' the 18-year-old said on Court Suzanne Lenglen as umbrellas popped open in the stands on a grey Parisian morning. AdChoices ADVERTISING 'I kind of knew what to expect I knew I had to play at 100% and fight for every ball and get those drop shots. I'm happy with the way I play today.' Andreeva, who reached the semi-finals here last year, also attributed her win to a present she received. 'When I was walking on court, a little girl put a drawing on my bench, I kept it. It's my lucky charm,' she said. 'Wherever that little girl is, I want to thank her because it is my lucky charm.' Despite an inconsistent serve with four double faults, Andreeva bagged the opening set with a blistering forehand winner for her third break of serve. Putintseva tried to mix it up with drop shots but Andreeva's baseline power proved too much to handle and the Russian broke for 2-1 after a brief rain interruption. It was game over effectively as she went on to win the remaining four games.
Free Malaysia Today
3 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Ruthless Sinner marches into fourth round
The top seeder has now racked up four sets without conceding a game. (AP pic) PARIS : Top seed Jannik Sinner dismissed world number 34 Jiri Lehecka in straight sets on Saturday at Roland Garros as the Italian booked his place in the fourth round. Sinner delivered a dominant display of power-hitting as the first-ranked men's player beat his opponent 6-0, 6-1, 6-2. 'Today, I was playing really, really well, especially during (the first) two-and-a-half sets… so very happy,' said Sinner, who dedicated the victory to his coach Simone Vagnozzi whose birthday it was Friday. The 23-year-old will next meet 17th seed Andrey Rublev in the last 16 after the Russian was given a bye through the third round following Frenchman Arthur Fils' withdrawal due to injury. Sinner is yet to drop a set in the French Open this year as he continues his impressive return to action following a three-month doping suspension. He returned in time for the Italian Open earlier in May, eventually losing the final to Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets, after confidently navigating his way through the first five matches. Sinner has now racked up four sets without conceding a game since his comeback in Rome. On Saturday, he won the first 11 games in a row against Lehecka before the Czech got on the scoreboard to make it 5-1 in the second set. The three-time Grand Slam champion hammered 31 winners on his way to victory on Court Suzanne Lenglen and only faced one break point, which he saved.
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Paris gets ready ahead of PSG's Champions League final
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Final - Paris St Germain v Inter Milan Preview - Paris, France - May 30, 2025 A message is displayed in the Eiffel Tower that reads: 'Allez Paris!' ahead of the final REUTERS/Abdul Saboor/File Photo PARIS (Reuters) -The French capital was getting ready on Saturday morning for the evening's Champions League final between Paris St Germain and Inter Milan, with shops and police tightening security while fans shared excitement. Although the match will be held in Munich, a PSG victory would be expected to spark celebrations in the club's home city which could escalate into disturbances, and 5,400 police officers are deployed ahead of the game. Thousands of PSG fans are expected to gather in the city to watch the match on screens at various locations including the Parc des Princes. France's famed Le Fouquet's brasserie on the Champs Elysees avenue barricaded its windows, so did some banks and other shops. Police were preventing cars from parking on the avenue. A sense of excitement was starting to build in the city's hallmark, with PSG supporters queuing in front of the club's shop to buy merchandise for their big night. Chef Zoumana Meite, 28, told Reuters he was looking forward to the game and had a "good feeling" about it. "If we win tonight, it will be a sleepless night," he said. "Yes, it's a big night... As a Parisian, it's something to experience." As for security, Deborah Mbwebwa, a 29-year-old finance worker, told Reuters PSG supporters like her had been warned not to break anything. "I think it'll go well," she said. Mbwebwa was also hopeful for the outcome. "The players are aware that the whole city, we're all behind them. So I think they'll give it their all tonight," she added. "I'm much more confident than in 2020, when they came up short (losing 1-0 to Bayern Munich in the final). But this time, I think it's ours." Corinne Soler, a PSG supporter of 32 years that came all the way from southern France, told Reuters that even if victory eluded the Parisian team, this final would still go down in history. "It's our second final, and finally, we can celebrate it. So, even if we lose, we will be with other supporters tonight and it won't matter," she said. (Reporting by Manuel Ausloos and Katya Skvortsova; Writing by Juliette Jabkhiro; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
