Police escorted thousands of Lyon fans along Deansgate in Manchester city centre on Thursday (April 17) ahead of tonight’s clash against Manchester United.
United are to host the French professional football club in their second leg of their Europa League quarter-final, with kick off at 8pm.
Ahead of the match, a huge police response attended the city centre as crowds of Lyon fans stormed Deansgate and let off blue flares while chanting and cheering.
Officers were stood in a line, fronted by police cars and motorbikes, as the fans made their way along the city centre road towards the Old Trafford stadium.
Lyon fans marching down Deansgate #TeamOL pic.twitter.com/aoFHgDVZkV
— Nathan Salt (@NathSalt1) April 17, 2025
Videos also posted across social media showed the long line of fans, waving scarves and flags, chanting and marching down past Deansgate Towers towards the A56.
Fans stormed Deansgate(Image: @mcroutlaws/Instagram)
Clips posted online also showed fans slapping Lyon FC stickers on lampposts and street signs. Pictures then revealed how a white Bentley Continental, worth around £250k, that had been parked on Deansgate, was also covered in the stickers by fans.
Large groups were then seen walking up the stairs to the Deansgate / Castlefield Metrolink stop, supported by a large police response and travel officers.
Lyon will be backed by 2,650 fans in the away end. The team were last here in 2004 and 2008 in the Champions League, when they were a powerhouse in France and a consistent force in the Champions League.
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