The arrival of some 60,000 ‘reds’ followers and some 20,000 madridistas puts the French security forces on alert
The French police will deploy nearly 7,000 officers to deal with the biggest sporting event since Euro 2016
France will host the biggest sporting event in European football after the respite given by covid-19. Paris prepares to host the Champions League Finalin which they will meet this Saturday Real Madrid against him Liverpool. The final outcome of the orejuda will mean the landing in the French capital of some 60,000 English fans and just over 20,000 Spaniards. After a final behind closed doors in 2020 in Lisbon and with only a third of the capacity in Porto last year, the Stade de France will host the first Champions League final male pospandemiawith the stands packed. A great night of the beautiful sport returns, although this will also be a challenge for the security forces.
The main organizational challenge is represented by the 60,000 Liverpool fans planned in Paris. Although only 22,000 of them have a ticket, several tens of thousands will fly to the French capital in the hope of buying a ticket at the last moment. Or at least live the vibe in situ.
After having sold out the tickets in the official shopping circuits, the resale prices they range between 2,400, 4,200 and up to 5,000 euros. To welcome this ‘network’ tide, a specific area has been created in the Bois de Vincennes, in the southeast of Paris, where there will be a giant screen.
Nearly 7,000 police officers deployed
Instead, Real Madrid fans will be able to meet at the park of the Legion of honor in Saint-Denis, near the Stade de France, on the northern outskirts of Paris. There will be no restrictions of any kind due to the health context, nor is the use of a mask required on public transport. In the area around the stadium, with a capacity of more than 80,000 spectators, the sale of alcoholic beverages will be authorized until six in the afternoon. On other occasions, such as the recent Coupe de France final, the sale of alcohol had been banned, but this backfired. will unfold up to 6,800 police and gendarmes to face the most massive sporting event in France since the final of the European Championship in 2016.
The fans of Madrid and Liverpool will be the main protagonists of this weekend in the French capital, also marked by the Ascension Bridge (four holidays) and the exodus of many of its inhabitants since Thursday. The UEFA pays for this device to welcome the fans, much more ambitious than initially planned as an English team qualified for the final.
Unexpected venue for war
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The presence of the merengue team also carries its share of morbidity, having become in recent weeks the object of anger —and then ridicule— of PSG fans for the Mbappé operation. Beyond the insults at the beginning of the week from Paris fans against Madrid, there is no special rivalry between these two fans. There is nothing to suggest possible confrontations between Parisian fans and merengues.
With this Saturday, Paris will have organized six finals of the maximum continental tournament soccer. This year it became the headquarters after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. Initially it was planned in St. Petersburg. The last of the Parisian finals took place in 2006 and then Rijkaard’s Barça beat Wenger’s Arsenal (2-1). Madrid had already touched glory at the Stade de France when they beat Valencia in 2000. But they were defeated in the French capital in 1981 by Liverpool themselves. This final, with full stands and no restrictions, pits two clubs with many talents in football and history.