A Paris Saint-Germain supporter suffered serious injuries after being stabbed in overnight clashes between football fans in Milan before the Champions League match between AC Milan and PSG, Italian police said on Tuesday.
ESPN reports that the victim was stabbed twice in the leg and taken to Milan’s Policlinico hospital for treatment, police said. Italian media said he was a 34-year-old Frenchman. He was injured when a group of around 50 Milan fans clashed with visiting PSG supporters shortly after midnight in the city’s canal district, a popular spot for nightlife. Two police officers were also hurt after police baton-charged the French fans to try to restore order.
AC Milan, who hosted PSG at San Siro on Tuesday, condemned the violence.
“Football for us is passion, not hate,” the club said in a post on the social media site X with the message written in English, Italian, and French.
“Sport is supposed to unite, not divide.”
A fan of the English club, Newcastle United was stabbed in Milan in September before his team’s Champions League game with AC Milan.
Milan, semifinalists last season, are bottom of Group F and without a win or a goal so far in this season’s competition.