PSG vs Barcelona Champions League tie confirmed despite violent protests sweeping France

PSG’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona will go ahead as planned on Tuesday at the Parc des Princes, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed following an emergency government meeting in which the possibility of cancelling major events was formally discussed.

The announcement came after a weekend of violent unrest swept across France, with city halls, public buildings and hundreds of businesses targeted by rioters and looters. More than 2,000 arrests have been made in connection with the disorder, which Nuñez admitted saw authorities “lose control” in some major cities on Saturday.

Nuñez spoke after meeting with senior government officials to assess whether large public gatherings should be suspended. He confirmed that other European fixtures this week would also proceed, specifically naming the Lille vs Galatasaray match scheduled for Wednesday in the northern city, where looting also occurred over the weekend.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced on Monday that prefects have been instructed to impose “very limited” and “localised” curfews in affected cities to prevent further rioting, with specific areas to be identified in due course.

Nuñez, who offered his resignation on Sunday, was asked by President Emmanuel Macron to remain in post to manage the ongoing security response. Macron has also instructed the minister to ensure “full transparency about the failures in planning and intelligence-gathering” that contributed to the scale of the violence.

Tuesday’s fixture will demand a significant security operation at a time when French police forces are already stretched. The strain on resources is considerable: in May, Paris police detained dozens of people after violence broke out during celebrations of PSG’s second consecutive Champions League title, won on penalties against Arsenal, when a group attempted to storm a police station in the capital.

The images of destruction from the weekend protests have drawn widespread international attention and prompted reflection within France about the country’s deepening social tensions.