Security was heavy at the Stade de France on Friday ahead of the France-Denmark football match in Paris.
French authorities beefed up security for the UEFA Nations League Group 1 match with riot police and mounted units, following chaotic scenes at the Champions League final last week.
Police numbers were increased both around the Parisian stadium and at train stations which were braced for some 80,000 people.
This time there were no incidents. However, fans who went to the game were cautious.
“Well, we were a little afraid, and it’s true that we, as a family, were more afraid for our little one,” said Lydie Humez, a French fan. “But we told ourselves that security would be restored and that the same mistake wouldn’t be made twice.”
Sunday’s the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid turned into a debacle as police fired tear gas on Liverpool fans hemmed in around the stadium, and scuffles broke out between fans and locals.
French Interoir Minister Gerald Darmanin blamed the choas on ticket scams, although he has since admitted the event could “clearly” have been better organised.
More than 2,000 police were drafted in for Friday’s match, with 665 officers dedicated to policing the flow of people at the stadium and protecting supporters from attacks.
Some 1,000 security staff, slightly less than last week, were available to carry out checks, while the number of plain-clothed officers to prevent supporters from being targetted by thieves was significantly increased.
A number of Liverpool supporters have claimed that some groups of locals tried to rob them during the disorder.
Spectators at the France vs. Denmark game were reassured by the heavy police presence.
“Our plans were about to get cancelled because we didn’t know how to get away from the stadium afterward,” explained Danish fan, Nina Gade.
“So we prepared to go to a hotel nearby and just stay there for the night. But now, we see all the police, all over, and in the metro, and now we will take the metro back to our own hotel.”
The only upset for Paris was that Denmark beat France 2-1.
The French team head to Croatia on Monday and Denmark will head to Austria for their next matches in the UEFA Nations League.
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