The unmistakable chant of “Sa-fo-nov, Sa-fo-nov, Sa-fo-nov” echoed through the Grands Boulevards as Gabriel’s decisive penalty soared into the Budapest night. By the time Gonçalo Ramos’ opening spot-kick found the net, fireworks had already started popping across the capital, as if victory had been preordained by the jubilant crowd.
From jubilation to confrontation
Tensions flared when a Brazilian player’s miss sent shockwaves through the city. The public square outside the Grands Boulevards quickly descended into controlled chaos, with riot police deploying tear gas to disperse the revelers. A surge of panicked fans scrambled to shield their faces from the acrid fumes.
Over 130 arrests amid a subdued festive atmosphere
Despite the palpable excitement, the celebrations unfolded under heavy surveillance. The Champs-Élysées, the natural gathering point for thousands of fans, was cordoned off with thorough security checks. Yet, despite these precautions, impromptu fireworks lit up the sky, and groups of supporters sang newly minted anthems like “After all these years” and “And Ousmane Ballon d’Or”—only to scatter when riot police moved in to disperse the crowds.
The cat-and-mouse game between law enforcement and the estimated 20,000 fans continued late into the night. By 11 PM, police reported 131 arrests and one officer injured, a stark contrast to the 559 arrests recorded during the previous year’s victory over Inter Milan. A weary CRS officer near Rue du Colisée remarked, “There’s less chaos this time, sure. But we’re not out of the woods yet—this could still escalate.”
A capital transformed by football fever
Paris had not witnessed such a football frenzy since the 2018 World Cup final. Hours before kickoff, tens of thousands of supporters had already flooded the streets, their blue-and-red jerseys painting a vivid picture of the city’s euphoria. From the early hours, conversations revolved around the match, with even the most cautious fans joking, “I’ll watch the game at home—no way I’m ending up in custody over this!”
Mortars and firecrackers, readily available on social media platforms ahead of the game, hinted at the scale of the revelry. By nightfall, as smoke from tear gas lingered in the air, an elderly man rubbed his stinging eyes and turned to his companion, “I suppose PSG won, then.” There was no doubt about it.
