Nearly 100 Ajax fans wielding iron bars and wearing ski masks were arrested in Paris on the eve of the Champions League match between the Dutch club and Paris St Germain, police said.
Many of the 95 supporters stopped for questioning in the west of Paris on Monday night did not have tickets for Tuesday’s match at the Parc des Princes, for which only 850 tickets were sold to Ajax fans.
It’s believed that Police released 41 supporters were released overnight while 54 remain in custody on Tuesday.
The French interior ministry, fearing a repeat of the violence outside the stadium six years ago when PSG played Dutch club Twente Enschede, last week temporarily banning Ajax fans without tickets from travelling to the Paris region.
“There is a strong rivalry between French and Dutch hooligans,” the ministry said.
Security is expected to be tight for the match, which begins at 8.45pm local time.
Last month the two teams drew in Amsterdam and with PSG already through to the last 16, a win could mean that they are guaranteed a top place finish, albeit that’s only if Barcelona slip up at Apoel.
Ajax cannot finish in the top two although they can still qualify for the Europa League in third place with a win tonight.
