Riot police were called to intervene in Leipzig on Tuesday evening after a violent clash broke out between Crystal Palace supporters and a group of black-shirted football fans ahead of the Europa Conference League Final. The incident occurred in the city's Market Square area, where chairs and drinks were thrown.
It remains unclear whether the opposing fans were supporters of Crystal Palace's opponents, Rayo Vallecano, or a local German team. Video footage shared on social media showed fans brawling in an Irish pub and hurling pint glasses and bottles at each other outside the bar.
German police cordoned off part of the square to disperse the disorder. While no injuries or arrests have been confirmed, dozens of fans are believed to have been detained for several hours for a 'breach of the peace', effectively barring them from the city centre until 10am on Wednesday after identity checks.
Both Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano were allocated approximately 11,500 tickets each for the final, but thousands more fans are expected to descend on Leipzig for the match. The teams are competing for their first significant European honour, with the winner securing a place in next season's Europa League.
