Police arrest 19 Atalanta fans after clashes near Parc des Princes ahead of PSG Champions League match

French police arrested 19 supporters of Atalanta on Tuesday night following violent clashes near the Parc des Princes ahead of the club's Champions League match with Paris Saint-Germain, law enforcement and local media reported.

The clashes occurred at about 9:15 p.m. on rue des Lombards, between the Forum des Halles and the Pompidou Center, according to reports in L'Equipe and Le Parisien. Officers intervened in riot gear to break up confrontations involving masked men; witnesses and outlets said those detained were carrying weapons and caused damage during the melee. Authorities said there were no serious injuries reported.

Paris police said the arrests were made on the eve of the Champions League fixture and that security in the city would remain heightened for the match. French outlets reported that 1,184 Atalanta fans had arrived in Paris the day before and that more supporters were expected on matchday, prompting a tight security presence at the stadium.

PSG said that supporters identified as having been involved in trouble inside France had already been banned from attending matches at the Parc des Princes. Local police carried out searches and identity checks around key transit points, leading to lengthy queues as officers worked to prevent further escalation.

The incident in Paris follows other fan disturbances in the opening week of the Champions League. Earlier on Tuesday, confrontations involving Marseille supporters occurred ahead of their group-stage game in Madrid against Real Madrid. Video and photographs circulated showing national and local police dispersing crowds outside the Santiago Bernabéu, using batons and pepper spray to control skirmishes.

Spanish authorities said those incidents began after gatherings on Avenida del Brasil at about 6 p.m., when groups of fans were poised to walk the final stretch to the stadium. Madrid deployed 1,900 national police officers and 80 municipal police to manage the situation, and officials reported extensive identity checks and searches at stadium entry points.

French law enforcement and club officials said they were monitoring movements of visiting supporters and cooperating with Italian authorities where appropriate. UEFA regulations require clubs to take measures to ensure crowd safety and to report violent episodes; failure to control supporters can lead to sanctions.

No immediate statements were released from Atalanta on the arrests. Paris police and PSG confirmed they would maintain enhanced security measures around the Parc des Princes for the match, with authorities urging fans to comply with searches and stewarding arrangements to prevent further incidents.

The match went ahead under the tightened security regime as planned, with officials emphasizing prevention and rapid intervention to protect public safety in the vicinity of the stadium.