PSG supporter arrested as police step up security for Barcelona Champions League match

Catalan police Mossos d'Esquadra have stepped up security measures in Barcelona ahead of the highly anticipated Champions League quarter-final game between FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, scheduled for Tuesday at 9pm.   

Around 50,000 spectators are expected at Barcelona's Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium, with around 2,600 PSG fans among them.

More than 350 police officers will be involved in the security operation, both as fans arrive and throughout the match, according to several media reports and confirmed by Catalan News. 

To ensure security, the Mossos d'Esquadra escorted PSG ultras from Plaça Espanya to the stadium at around 7pm. Some of the supporters of the French club lit flares and firecrackers, although there were no serious incidents.

Pere Ferrer, the director of Mossos d'Esquadra, emphasized in an interview with Catalunya Ràdio earlier that their objective was to establish the least amount of interaction between rival supporters to "minimize the risk." 

The PSG supporters will be the last to leave, escorted by Mossos throughout.

PSG supporter arrested 

One PSG supporter was arrested after a fight with a Barça fan on Tuesday afternoon. 

The Mossos d'Esquadra said the altercation took place around 5pm near Plaça Espanya. 

At the time there were around ten police vans in Plaça Espanya, strategically placed between the visiting PSG fans and Barça supporters. 

Security heightened amid terrorism alert

Although the police presence typical for the Champions League quarter-finals is always high due to the large crowds that gather, this one carries added sensitivity as Spain is at level 4 out of 5 on the terrorist alert.  

Even more, the game comes a week after ISIS issued a terrorist threat to all quarter-final matches, although no explicit threats have been reported this week.

To address these concerns, the Mossos will deploy additional units of the Special Intervention Group (GEI), the equivalent of a police SWAT unit, which specializes in high-risk operations involving armed violence.

Additionally, the Mossos will use drones and the Helix unit, which provides aerial support. A helicopter equipped with a thermal camera for tracking moving targets and another with night vision capabilities will assist the police in aerial surveillance during the evening.

Pere Ferrer explained that the main terrorist threat identified by the police is the actions of "lone wolves", which are inherently more difficult to prevent.

The Mossos director emphasized the importance of having an operation in place to respond quickly to any incidents, and assured football fans that they will notice the police operation because it "stands out."

Amid mounting concern, Catalan government spokesperson Patrícia Plaja delivered a message of "complete calm" to Barcelona residents.

Plaja insisted that police had been working diligently for days to prepare for the operation and urged the public to "resist the spread of fear" amid the global terror alert.

Firecrackers set off outside PSG players' hotel

Last night, a group of Barça fans gathered outside the Vela Hotel, the iconic sail-shaped hotel on Barcelona's beach where PSG players are staying. 

They set off firecrackers and fireworks in an attempt to disturb the footballers' rest.

The action mirrored that of PSG fans last week, who similarly targeted Barça players during their stay in Paris.