Tensions rise in Eindhoven as 180 Napoli fans are arrested for planning a confrontation with PSV supporters ahead of the Champions League match.
Around 180 Italian football fans have been arrested in Eindhoven, Netherlands, ahead of the Champions League match between PSV and Napoli.
The arrests were made after police reported that the fans were planning a confrontation with PSV supporters.
The Napoli fans had ignored police orders to leave the city centre, leading to a tense atmosphere. Police spokesman stated that the arrests were made due to the fans’ behaviour, which showed signs of provoking disorder.
Eindhoven’s mayor, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, had issued an emergency order for parts of the city centre, deeming the match “high-risk”. Around 300 suspected hooligans were expected to travel with the Napoli supporters, prompting police to take precautionary measures.
Police are authorized to carry out random searches in the city centre and around the Phillips Stadium until Wednesday morning.
This is not the first time Napoli fans have been involved in such incidents, with over 100 fans arrested in Amsterdam’s Centraal Station in 2022 before a Champions League match against Ajax.
Napoli had been allocated 1,600 tickets for the game, all of which were sold. However, around half of those arrested had travelled without tickets, according to a police spokesman.
The arrests have added to the tension ahead of the match, but it’s worth noting that no actual clashes have occurred so far. PSV and Napoli are set to face off in the Champions League, and the atmosphere is expected to be electric.
