Police in the Polish city of Wroclaw arrested 28 fans following clashes between Chelsea and Real Betis supporters ahead of the UEFA Conference League final.
Hundreds of fans were involved in confrontations in Wroclaw Market Square on Wednesday afternoon, but police quickly intervened to control the situation.
Initial reports suggested the use of a water cannon, but Wroclaw City Hall later confirmed it was on “standby as a precautionary measure” and “the situation did not escalate to a level that required their deployment.”
The local authority stated, “The strong and visible presence of police, including British liaison officers and negotiators, was effective in de-escalating tensions.”
Wroclaw City Hall added that “order has since been maintained across the city.” The match at the Stadion Wroclaw reached its 41,000 capacity with no further disturbances reported, and an additional 5,500 people watched from a fan zone in the city.
An estimated 70,000 fans arrived in the city in south-west Poland for the final, a number that includes both ticket holders and those attending fan zones and other associated events.
Chelsea went on to win the third-tier European competition 4-1 on Wednesday night.
“For the rest of the night, police will remain on duty in full strength,” the city hall concluded.
