Chelsea and Real Betis fans clash as trouble flares ahead of Conference League final in Poland... as Blues supporters are PEPPER-SPRAYED by police
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- Chelsea and Real Betis face off in the Conference League final on Wednesday
- Fans are believed to have clashed in Wroclaw before police got involved
- LISTEN NOW: It's All Kicking Off! Is Ruben Amorim too honest?
Polish police are thought to have clashed with Chelsea and Real Betis supporters in Wroclaw ahead of the Conference League final on Wednesday night.
Supporters of both sides gathered in the Market Square one night before their teams bid to win European silverware at Stadion Wroclaw.
But scenes turned sour as both sets of fans are believed to have clashed outside of a restaurant before police attempted to intervene.
Videos have been circling on social media of supporters from both sides desperately trying to fend off police, throwing chairs and other objects towards them.
The unsavoury scenes are believed to have occurred after a series of 'scuffles' between supporters of both sides at Solny Square, according to reports in Poland.
With police presence in the area already heightened because of the final, officers quickly arrived on the scene in an attempt to disperse crowds.
Armed with batons and shields, it is believed that police made a barricade to separate fans on the northern side of the Market Square.
As objects were thrown their way, they decided to intervene and seemingly unleashed pepper spray on supporters.
Pictures show armed police spraying a substance toward Chelsea fans in the market, as they attempt to flee the area.
Following the incident, the Provincial Police Headquarters in Wroclaw released a statement.
'The uniformed officers reacted immediately after the incident, which resulted in no further escalation of the conflict or negative behavior,' the statement read.
'The fans scattered in different directions and currently the police officers of the criminal division are conducting activities aimed at identifying them.
'The number of preventive and operational police forces and their saturation is so large in places where residents and sports fans gather or move around that everyone can feel safe.
'Please immediately notify the nearby Police or City Guard patrol of any incident, or call the emergency number 112. We are at your disposal and our priority is to ensure safety - says Senior Warrant Officer Łukasz Dutkowiak.
'Foot patrols, monitoring from drones and helicopters, intensified activities on the streets and in key locations - the office enumerates and adds: - Firefighters from the Municipal Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Wrocław and rescuers are also ready to respond immediately, especially in the area of the stadium and all fan zones.'
More than 70,000 supporters are estimated to have descended on Wroclaw, despite the stadium only having a capacity 42,000. To deal with the influx of fans, reportedly 2,000 police offers from around Poland have come to the city.
Prior to the clash, it had been reported that authorities had already advised residents to limit travel.
The authority of Lower Silesia's capital is believed to have released a press release to notify residents of three days of disruption ahead of the game.
The fan clash comes just three weeks after French police were thought to have clashed with Paris Saint-Germain fans ahead of their Champions League semi-final second leg clash with Arsenal.
The Sun reported that police have used tear gas on the Parc des Princes faithful, after videos of them tangling with armed officers circulated on social media.
In one of the clips, fans were seen being charged by police officers as they sought to flee. Some fans are seen covering their nose and mouths, with the caption alleging that tear gas had been fired into the crowds of supporters.
