Police Arrest Over 200 Napoli Fans Ahead of ‘High-Risk’ Champions League Match in Eindhoven

Dutch police have arrested more than 200 Napoli supporters ahead of Tuesday night’s Champions League fixture against PSV Eindhoven, describing the match as “high-risk” due to escalating tensions between fans.

According to police reports, groups of Italian fans caused disturbances in central Eindhoven on Monday evening, engaging in “provocative behaviour” that prompted officers to intervene.

Authorities detained 230 supporters to prevent potential clashes with local fans. The individuals were questioned overnight, fined, and subsequently released, but barred from both the city centre and the match venue.

“All arrested supporters with a ticket are not allowed to attend tonight’s match,” the police said in a statement.

Police have also introduced preventive measures, including frisking and increased surveillance, as part of efforts to maintain public order.

“We will be present in large numbers to ensure the game and its surroundings proceed smoothly so everyone can enjoy the football match,” the statement added.

The Group Stage match, scheduled to kick off at 9 p.m. (1900 GMT), has been classified as high-risk due to the history of violence between Italian and Dutch fans in previous European fixtures.

Both PSV and Napoli will be seeking a turnaround after sluggish starts to their Champions League campaigns. PSV, the reigning Dutch champions, lost 3–1 at home to Union Saint-Gilloise before managing a 1–1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen.

Napoli, meanwhile, opened with a 2–0 defeat to Manchester City but recovered with a 2–1 win over Sporting Lisbon.