The Short Version
PARIS — Police detained 127 people in the Paris metropolitan area overnight as celebrations for Paris Saint-Germain's advancement to the Champions League final devolved into street clashes with law enforcement, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed Thursday.
PSG eliminated Bayern Munich to reach its second consecutive Champions League final and third since 2020. The victory sparked gatherings outside Parc des Princes stadium and along the Champs-Élysées, where police moved to disperse crowds and prevent the Paris ring road from being blocked.
The matchup already has enough history; the job is to keep the reading list shorter than the tension.
Eleven rioters sustained injuries, including one severe wound from a mortar device. Twenty-three police officers received treatment for minor injuries.
The Useful Context
"Hundreds of individuals consistently look to clash with law enforcement during these festivities," Nuazepd told Europe 1 radio. "I thank the police prefect and his teams for intervening according to my instructions."
Security will be heightened for the May 30 final against Arsenal in Budapest.
Nuénez noted that Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire announced a fan zone for the final without prior police consultation — a misstep that complicated coordination.
The Part Still Unclear
A recurring pattern. Violent outbreaks have followed PSG's major matches in recent years. When PSG won the Champions League last year, authorities made more than 500 arrests nationwide. In 2020, after PSG lost the final to Bayern, 148 fans were arrested amid clashes that damaged vehicles and store fronts.
In 2019, celebrations after Algeria's Africa Cup of Nations win also erupted on the Champs-Élysées.