May 28, (THEWILL) – Polish authorities deployed water cannons and stun grenades to control violent confrontations between Chelsea and Real Betis supporters in Wroclaw ahead of Wednesday’s UEFA Conference League final.
The clashes began on Tuesday evening in the city centre, with social media footage showing fans throwing chairs and engaging in running battles through the streets.
Police arrested 28 foreign nationals following escalated incidents on Wednesday, maintaining a protective cordon around Chelsea supporters gathered in the main square. “There was an escalation of negative behaviour on the part of both teams that came to Wroclaw for today’s match,” said police spokesperson Lukasz Dutkowiak. Additional arrests included four Spanish citizens detained for various offences, including removing UEFA flags from official displays.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk condemned the violence on social media platform X, stating: “Zero tolerance for violence on our streets! I thank the police for their decisive actions against the hooligans in Chelsea and Betis shirts in Wroclaw. We warn you: if necessary, the police will be even more ruthless today!” The incidents follow similar supporter violence at last week’s Europa League final between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao.
Despite the disturbances, most supporters remained focused on the historic match. Real Betis fans celebrated reaching their first European final in the club’s 115-year history, whilst Chelsea prepared for the 8 pm local time kick-off, having finished fourth in the English Premier League to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League. Police maintained a heavy security presence throughout the city to ensure public safety.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
