Security will be “considerably reinforced” at Wednesday’s Champions League match in the French capital between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona after a “threat” from the Islamic State group, the interior minister said.
Gerald Darmanin said the jihadist group had threatened all the quarter-final matches on Tuesday and Wednesday, not just PSG’s first leg clash with Barcelona at the Parc des Princes.
Darmanin said there had been “a clear threat publicly expressed by the Islamic State”.
The police, whom I spoke to very early this morning, have considerably reinforced the security measures,” the minister told reporters.
A source close to the issue told AFP: “IS has threatened the Champions League quarter-finals, not specifically in France, through one of its communication outlets.”
In the matches on Tuesday, Arsenal take on Bayern Munich in London and Real Madrid host reigning European champions Manchester City.
In Wednesday’s other game, Atletico Madrid face Borussia Dortmund in the Spanish capital.
European football’s governing body UEFA said all the matches would go ahead despite the threat.
“UEFA is aware of alleged terrorist threats made towards this week’s UEFA Champions League matches and is closely liaising with the authorities at the respective venues,” the statement said.
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“All matches are planned to go ahead as scheduled with appropriate security arrangements in place.”
PSG coach Luis Enrique said in his pre-match news conference: “Who is not worried or concerned by terrorist threats?
“I hope it is a thing we can control and that they are just threats and that nothing will happen.”
