Chelsea fans and French police clashed in Lille, ahead of the Champions League last 16 game on Wednesday night, with the police using batons and tear gas.
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Chelsea fans don't really know what's going on with their club right now, and it would certainly have been a weird week for many of them.
Amongst the confusing goings on, they can't even buy tickets for their own games right now, or merchandise, leading to the team asking for their game at the weekend to be played behind closed doors, before an embarrassing u-turn.
Plenty of fans travelled to France for Wednesday's European game against Lille, no doubt hoping to get away from all the off the pitch issues.
However, a group of their fans ended up clashing with local police, after reportedly chanting Roman Abramovich's name outside Les 3 Brasseurs bar, opposite Lille-Flanders station.
Bottles are said to have been thrown by the fans, before police used tear gas and batons to disperse the travelling English supporters, some of whom don't seem to have actually been involved.
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"We were called to the bar following complaints about the behaviour of the supporters," a local police spokesman told the Daily Mail.
"Roads around the area have been cordoned off and there are still isolated pockets of trouble around the city."
Fans involved in the incident however denied that they had started the violence, with Abbie taking to Twitter to say, "We was literally singing 'chelsea chelsea chelsea', Lille fans came over started on us.
"Lille police came over swinging their f***ing batons smacked me on the back I was thankfully pulled by someone (if that was you thank you so much ) I didn’t realise until the second one thrown."
"It was tear gas and someone shouted it was tear gas. I covered my eyes and fan inside, I didn’t and still haven’t stopped crying.
"No doubt I’ll have a massive bruise, chest hurts, I’ve never done anything wrong in my life and nor did any of us and yet we were attacked it’s not on."
Ugly incident at a bar in Lille where French police used tear gas and batons in area where Chelsea fans were drinking. Some bottles thrown. Chelsea fans saying police were very heavy handed.
— Tom Parmenter (@TomSkyNews) March 16, 2022
What actually happened in Lille tonight; French guy in the chelsea pub kicking off, got semi dealt with, as the guy got chucked out French police came steaming in w/riot shields, smoke and tear gas got thrown in several areas. Bottles lobbed at police. Tear gas sprayed in faces.
— Craig CFC ⭐️⭐️ (@craigcfc25) March 16, 2022
The Blues went into the game with a 2-0 lead from the first leg, after Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic had both scored in the first leg.
Plenty has changed in the world, and at the club, since that first game in February, and more questions remain over the Blues than answers.
With fans not able to buy games, and only season ticket holders being able to go to games, there is a possibility that their next games in the Champions League will be behind closed doors.
According to the Athletic, that is what is likely to happen, due to the EU sanctions on owner Roman Abramovich, regardless of the UK ones.
Featured Image Credit: Twitter
Topics: Chelsea, Champions League, France, Lille, Ligue 1, Premier League
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