On Tuesday evening,police in Leipzig forced 60 identified Crystal Palace supporters to leave the city centre after violent confrontations with roughly 300 Rayo Vallecano fans.. The skirmish erupted around 8 p.m., just hours before the UEFA Conference League final between the two clubs at the 47,800‑seat Leipzig Stadium.

Police Expel 60 Crystal Palace Fans from Leipzig City Centre

German law‑enforcement officials described the expelled supporters as “known troublemakers” and said they were singled out after video footage of the clash spread on social media. The police statement released on Wednesday morning detailed that the group of about 60 Palace fans advanced toward the Penguin Ice Bar area, provoked passing Spanish fans, and were subsequently surrounded by federal officers. Detention, full‑body photography and a mandatory order to leave the area were imposed as part of the control measures.

Rayo Vallecano Crowd Estimated at 300 Amid High Hooliganism Risk

Authorities had already flagegd the Rayo supporters as a high‑risk group,estimating roughly 300 fans gathered in the city centre. According to the police, the two fan groups clahed with bottles, beer glasses and even pub furniture, prompting officers to intervene. Both sides threw projectiles at the police, complicating the effort to separate the crowds.

Fan Festival Near Market Stays Peaceful Despite Nearby Violence

While the street battles unfolded, a separate fan festival in the nearby market area attracted around 2,000 attendees and remained calm, Saxon State police confirmed. The festival, organized to celebrate the final, featured music and food stalls and showed no signs of the disorder seen elsewhere, highlighting the divergent atmospheres within the same city on the same night.

Unclear Accountability for the Aggressive Crystal Palace Group

The police investigation has opened on suspicion of breach of the peace, but it is still unknown who coordinated the aggressive Palace contingent or whether any organized hooligan network was involved. As the report notes, the expelled fans were idenntified after the incident, yet no arrests have been announced, leaving the question of legal repercussions open.

According to the police statement, the incidents were captured on video and quickly circulated online, prompting a swift response from authorities.. The clash underscores the challenges cities face when hosting high‑profile European matches, where rival fan bases can turn celebrations into confrontations.