WILD CELEBRATIONS erupted across the French capital on Saturday after Paris St Germain crushed Italian opponents Inter Milan to win the Champions League for the first time, although skirmishes with police later threatened to spoil the party.
On the Champs Elysees, bus shelters were smashed up and projectiles hurled at riot police, who fired tear gas and water canons to push back surging crowds as thousands of supporters descended on the boutique-lined boulevard.
There were also clashes with police on the Paris ring road and at least two cars were torched near PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium.
Inside the stadium, transformed into a giant fan zone for the night, 48,000 people let out a roar of ecstasy at the final whistle in Munich.
“Total euphoria, crazy atmosphere,“ said Gilles Gailliot who had been watching the game in the Paris stadium. “It made up for the wait and the years of disappointment. Finally Paris and its supporters have been rewarded,“ Gailliot added.
Parisians set off fireworks and hung out of moving cars waving PSG scarves, delighting in their side’s first victory in European soccer’s top competition.
Nearby, the Eiffel Tower lit up in PSG’s blue and red colours.
“I couldn’t dream of a better night,“ said 18-year-old Amine. “Let’s spare a thought for Mbappe.”
France striker Kylian Mbappe left PSG for Spanish club Real Madrid last year in pursuit of Champions League glory.
Arrests
Some 5,400 police were deployed across Paris in anticipation of raucous celebrations.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau urged a zero-tolerance approach to maintaining order amid the celebrations.
“True PSG supporters are enjoying their team’s magnificent match. Meanwhile, barbarians have taken to the streets of Paris to commit crimes and provoke the police,“ the minister tweeted.
Police had made more than 130 arrests by shortly after midnight.
PSG playmaker Ousmane Dembele urged supporters to keep the party festive.
“Let’s celebrate this but not tear everything up in Paris,“ Dembele told Canal+.
French President Emmanuel Macron, an ardent supporter of Olympique de Marseille, tweeted: “A glorious day for PSG! Bravo, we are all proud. Paris, the capital of Europe this evening.”
Macron’s office said the president would receive the players at the Elysee Palace on Sunday. The team are also expected to parade down the Champs Elysees.
PSG lost the final to Bayern Munich in 2020 and had teetered on the brink of elimination in the league phase this season before claiming the trophy their deep-pocketed Qatari owners had craved.
On the streets, fans lauded the exploits of Desire Doue, who scored twice, and manager Luis Enrique.
“What (Doue) did tonight is crazy but it is all thanks to Luis Enrique. The guy came and he changed everything,“ supporter Francis Delert said.
