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.

-Reuters

 Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

Paris St Germain supporters waited a long time to celebrate a Champions League trophy and when the occasion finally arrived on Saturday, thousands poured onto the pitch, with many taking home pieces of the goal and pitch as mementos of an unforgettable night.

PSG stormed to a 5-0 thumping of Inter Milan in a one-sided final in Munich and after seeing their team lift the cup, large numbers of fans behind the goal streamed onto the pitch, with stewards struggling to maintain order.

Police formed a cordon to keep them from going any further than the penalty area, much as PSG had done with Inter for much of the night during the game in an utterly dominant display.

Many fans began tearing apart the goal net, while some ripped up parts of the pitch, with others intent on celebrating with the players who had just received the trophy.

Fans were not alone in wanting to take home a souvenir of the greatest night in their club’s history, with PSG midfielder Joao Neves also seen cutting off a piece of what little was left of the goal net.

The PSG supporters created a deafening noise throughout the match and before kickoff as they roared their team on to victory. After the final whistle, they unveiled a huge banner in honour of Luis Enrique’s daughter Xana, who died in 2019.

While the pitch invasion at the Allianz Arena was peaceful, in Paris wild celebrations were marred by clashes with police.

-Reuters

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

For the first time, Paris Saint-Germain have won the UEFA Champions League after spelling Inter with goals following an unprecedented 5-0 win. Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi launched the French side onto victory path following his 12th-minute goal.

By scoring, he equalled a 24-year-old record in the UEFA Champions League final as he been involved in nine goals this season in the Champions League (4 goals and 5 assists), equalling the record set by former Leeds United left-back Ian Harte in the 2000-2001 season, when the English club reached the Champions League semi-finals. No defender in history has done better.

And so, it’s a Parisian party in Bavaria! Hakimi’s goal was followed by those from Désiré Doué, who scored twice and one from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and another from Senny Mayulu.

It is the largest-ever margin in a Champions League final. It’s an absolute romp and a stunner that no one saw coming.

  Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H