On Wednesday, October 1st, Paris Saint-Germain will face FC Barcelona at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys (Montjuïc) (kick-off at 9 p.m., CET) as part of Matchday 2 of the 2025–2026 UEFA Champions League group stage. According to Mundo Deportivo, the Spanish authorities have classified the fixture as “high risk.”
“The Standing Committee of Spain’s National Commission Against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport has just declared Barcelona’s second Champions League group game — scheduled for October 1 at 9 p.m., when Barcelona will host Paris Saint-Germain — as a high-risk match.
The high-risk designation requires clubs to adopt additional safety measures concerning ticket sales systems, the separation of fans inside stadiums, and access control. Security forces will also reinforce preventive measures, particularly with regard to monitoring supporters, in coordination with all operators involved in the organization of the event and the protection of spectators.”
Unfortunately, this is no surprise. Tensions have grown between the two clubs in recent years — from high-profile matches and controversial transfers to the recent “battle” over the 2025 Ballon d’Or, ultimately won by Ousmane Dembélé (28). As a result, there are concerns over possible disturbances, even though everyone hopes it remains “just” football.
At least Parisian fans should be allowed to travel, which is far better than the bans increasingly common in France. This should help boost the atmosphere. Now it’s also up to supporters to know where to draw the line in order to keep those freedoms.
