Paris erupts in joy as PSG returns

PARIS — Paris Saint-Germain players, staff and fans stretched their Champions League celebrations deep into Sunday evening as they finished a day of festivities in the French capital at a packed and delirious Parc des Princes stadium.

Players sung and danced and waved the trophy on their home pitch as music blared and star Parisian rappers performed before a jubilant crowd.

The well-wishers included tennis player Novak Djokovic, hours ahead of his fourth-round match at nearby Roland Garros, and former French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

After thrashing Inter Milan by a record 5-0 in Saturday evening's final, the squad flew into Paris from Munich at just before 4:00 pm (1400 GMT). It then set off on a triumphal procession on an open-top, doubledecker bus. It was greeted along the route by crowds of jubilant supporters.

Waving flags and letting off flares, they savored their club winning the biggest prize in European club soccer for the first time.

The players brandished the trophy and addressed the crowd as they drove.

After parading down the Champs-Elysees, coach Luis Enrique and his team went to a reception at the Elysee Palace hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron who lavished praise on the team.

"You won this Champions League, and you did it in a sublime, phenomenal way. You are the champions, and you put Paris at the top of Europe. And it was magnificent," Macron said.

"There were 11 of you on the field, but there was clearly a 12th man — the entire French public, regardless of traditional allegiances," said Macron, in a nod to his own loyalty to PSG's rival, Olympique de Marseille.

An estimated 11.8 million viewers watched the game on French television as PSG became just the second French side to become European champion, after Marseille in 1993.

The margin of victory was the greatest in a final in the history of the Champions League or the European Cup that preceded it.

Post-match violence

The president however condemned the violence which had marred the victory celebrations across France on Saturday night.

Police made nearly 600 arrests across France, the interior ministry said, after more than 200 cars were torched and police clashed with youths.

In the southwest town of Dax, a 17-year-old boy died after being stabbed in the chest.

A 23-year-old man riding a scooter in central Paris also died after being hit by a vehicle.

A policeman was in an induced coma after being injured by a firework.

The violence quickly became a political soccer in France on Sunday as parties on the right and left took the opportunity to criticize the handling of the celebrations.

"Nothing can justify what has happened in the last few hours, the violent clashes are unacceptable," said Macron.

"We will pursue, we will punish, we will be relentless."

PSG concluded its day's festivities with a party at its Parc des Princes home ground.

Each player walked onto the pitch to a different song and each received a standing ovation.

Club captain Marquinhos, who joined the club in 2013, was the last to take center stage, holding one handle of the trophy as club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi held the other.

"After all these years, I can cry now, this is the day of glory!" Marquinhos said, before telling the crowd: "We love you. Enjoy it! We are European champions!"

Even the club president received praise, with the crowd cheering: "Thank you, Nasser."

Qatar Sports Investments, which Al-Khelaifi chairs, has pumped hundreds of millions of euros into PSG since buying it as an ailing club in 2011.

Over the last couple of seasons it has turned its back on its former policy of signing stars such as Neymar and Lionel Messi and focussed on young French talent, such as 19-year-old Desire Doue, scorer of two goals on Saturday.

Doue cemented his status as a rising star in world soccer. Senny Mayulu, another 19-year-old, came on as a substitute towards the end and scored the fifth goal.

"In the dressing room, everyone broke down in their own way, you could see it in their eyes, people were filled with joy and pride," Mayulu said after the game.

PSG had lost its only other appearance in the final five years ago but after Saturday's triumph, said it had the taste for victory now.

"The objective now is to win again," Al-Khelaifi said after the game. "It has taken 14 years of hard work but we are building something for the future."

Agencies