Reuters
One bus was burned by fans at a toll booth [Source: BBC]
Olympique Lyonnais and Paris St Germain fans clashed violently at a motorway toll booth on their way to the French Cup final on Saturday, setting fire to one bus and damaging four others, the local prefect said.
At least eight police officials were injured in the clashes, prefect Bertrand Gaume told media.
He said he expected the final to go ahead as planned.
The incidents took place about 100 kilometres away from Lille’s Pierre-Mauroy stadium in northern France where the final is due to take place, RMC Sport reported on its website.
“These are sporting events which should be about joy and sport, I condemn this violence with the greatest firmness,” French President Emmanuel Macron, who is due to attend the final, told BFM TV.
“I hope things will go as normally as possible this evening,” he added.
PSG are aiming to end the season with a domestic treble by winning the French Cup, having already won the Ligue 1 title and clinched the French Super Cup in January.
Kylian Mbappe, PSG’s all-time highest goalscorer, is also set to play his final match for the club on Saturday, ending a seven-year stay during which he helped them win the league six times.
