Paris Saint-Germain’s historic first UEFA Champions League title was marred by tragedy and chaos Saturday night, as celebrations across France spiraled into violence. The capital and several other cities were rocked by riots, accidents, and deadly incidents following PSG’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Inter Milan.
While jubilation erupted inside the Parc des Princes and at viewing zones nationwide, the atmosphere quickly soured. In Landes, near Bordeaux, a 17-year-old boy was fatally stabbed in the chest during celebrations at a designated fanzone. He later succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
In Paris, a 20-year-old woman lost her life after being struck by a vehicle transporting fans. Another horrific incident unfolded in Grenoble near Lyon, where a speeding car ploughed into a crowd of revellers, seriously injuring four people. One young woman remains in critical condition.
Across the capital, scenes of celebration gave way to unrest. Footage from near the stadium showed fires burning through the night as fans set alight mattresses and bicycles. Riot police deployed in full gear clashed with aggressive groups who hurled bottles, fireworks, and flares—even before halftime, when PSG had already taken a 2-0 lead.
Despite an unprecedented security deployment of over 5,400 officers and sealed-off streets around key locations, disorder quickly escalated. By night’s end, 559 arrests had been made, 491 of them in Paris alone. According to Le Figaro, 192 people were injured in the capital, including one police officer now in a coma.
Precautionary measures taken ahead of the final—including boarding up PSG’s flagship store on the Champs-Élysées—proved insufficient. That area, turned into a dedicated fan zone, saw confrontations between police and crowds. One video circulating on social media shows officers dragging a masked man along the street as missiles rained down on them.
Elsewhere in the city, crowds were seen sprinting across the Ring Road, disrupting traffic. A mobile police unit sent to disperse the crowd was forced to retreat under a barrage of projectiles.
France’s Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau condemned the violence on social media: “True PSG fans are getting excited about their team’s magnificent performance. Meanwhile, barbarians have taken to the streets of Paris to commit crimes and provoke law enforcement… It is unbearable that it is not possible to party without fearing the savagery of a minority of thugs who respect nothing.”
The unrest was not confined to France. In Munich, where the final took place, rival supporters clashed at Fröttmaning station near the Allianz Arena. Stones were thrown and violent scuffles broke out, drawing a heavy police response.
Despite the chaos off the field, PSG delivered a stunning performance. Achraf Hakimi opened the scoring in the 12th minute, followed by a deflected goal from teenage star Désiré Doué. Doué added a second in the second half and was named Player of the Match. Goals from Kvaratskhelia and Mayulu rounded out the dominant 5-0 victory.
Celebrations had begun early in Paris, with the Eiffel Tower lit up in PSG’s red and blue. Fan zones with large LED screens were set up across the city, including a massive gathering at the Hippodrome de Longchamp. The Champs-Élysées was closed to traffic from Friday evening in preparation.
Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez had warned of potential unrest ahead of the match and said a victory parade planned for June 1 could be scrapped if violence broke out—an outcome now under serious consideration.
What should have been a night of national pride has instead cast a shadow over PSG’s greatest triumph, leaving a trail of devastation and grief in its wake.