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Feyenoord fans banned from Champions League match in Lille due to violence fears

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Feyenoord fans banned from Champions League match in Lille due to violence fears
Sport

Sport

Feyenoord fans banned from Champions League match in Lille due to violence fears

2025-01-23 04:47 Last Updated At:04:51

PARIS (AP) — Feyenoord supporters have been banned by French authorities from traveling to Lille for next week’s final Champions League group game between the two clubs.

In an order published Wednesday, France’s interior ministry said there was a “real and serious risk of confrontation” between fans of the two teams.

Lille hosts Feyenoord on Jan. 29 at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

The French authorities said Feyenoord's travels are often marred by “public order disturbances due to the violent behavior of certain supporters or individuals claiming to be supporters of this team,” and they cited several examples of fan violence.

Justifying its decision, the ministry added that 3,600 fans — 500 of whom were identified as being dangerous — had planned to travel to Lille, although only 2,600 seats had been allocated to the Dutch club.

“Of the 1,000 supporters who have nevertheless planned to travel without a stadium admission ticket, it is feared that some will try to force their way into the stadium,” it said.

Later Wednesday, Feyenoord's match against Bayern Munich was stopped for seven minutes after kickoff because of poor visibility from clouds of smoke after fans lit flares and fireworks behind one of the goals.

In May 2022, there were violent clashes in France between Marseille and Feyenoord fans outside the Stade Velodrome stadium before the return leg of their Europa Conference League semifinal.

One video showed a Marseille supporter apparently unconscious on the ground as he was helped by fellow fans, while another showed two groups charging at each other shortly before kickoff just outside the stadium.

Around 400 Feyenoord hooligans were present around the city’s seaport and there were also clashes the night before the game and after the match.

There were also violent clashes in Lille city center when the club played Bulgarian side Levski Sofia in the Europa League in 2010.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FILE - Feyenoord's fans chant slogans before the start of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Feyenoord and Salzburg, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Patrick Post, File)

FILE - Feyenoord's fans chant slogans before the start of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Feyenoord and Salzburg, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Patrick Post, File)

FILE - Fans of Feyenoord light flares during the Europa League Group F soccer match between Sturm Graz and Feyenoord at the Merkur Arena in Graz, Austria, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Florian Schroetter, File)

FILE - Fans of Feyenoord light flares during the Europa League Group F soccer match between Sturm Graz and Feyenoord at the Merkur Arena in Graz, Austria, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Florian Schroetter, File)

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NBA All-Star 2025: Times, details, how to watch the weekend’s events

2025-02-12 08:49 Last Updated At:08:51

All-Star weekend goes to San Francisco this year for the NBA’s annual midseason showcase.

There are three nights of on-court events, highlighted by the Rising Stars competition for first- and second-year players on Friday, the dunk and 3-point contest on Saturday and then the All-Star Game on Sunday.

It’s a new format for the All-Star Game this year. It’s now a mini-tournament with games going only to 40 points.

Here’s some of what to know about All-Star weekend:

Mostly TNT and truTV. Here’s the rundown (all times Eastern):

Friday — All-Star celebrity game, 7 p.m. (ESPN); Rising Stars competition, 9 p.m. (TNT, truTV)

Saturday — NBA All-Star practice, 2 p.m. (NBA TV); NBA HBCU Classic, 5 p.m. (truTV, NBA TV, Max and ESPN+); All-Star Saturday Night, 8 p.m. (TNT and truTV)

Sunday — NBA All-Star Game, 8 p.m. (TNT, truTV, Max); NBA All-Star postgame (NBA TV).

The All-Stars are split into three teams of eight players this year, drafted by TNT analysts Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith. The rundown:

Chuck's Global Stars: Denver’s Nikola Jokic, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama, Indiana’s Pascal Siakam, Houston’s Alperen Sengun, New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns, Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell, Atlanta’s Trae Young. (Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo was supposed to play but cannot because of injury. Young replaced him for the game.)

Shaq's OGs: Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Dallas’ Kyrie Irving, Boston teammates Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Phoenix’s Kevin Durant, Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard and the Los Angeles Clippers’ James Harden. (Dallas' Anthony Davis was supposed to play but cannot because of injury. Irving replaced him for the game.)

Kenny's Young Stars: Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, New York’s Jalen Brunson, Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams, Cleveland teammates Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, Detroit’s Cade Cunningham and Miami’s Tyler Herro.

The NBA has made the All-Star Game a mini-tournament this year, with four teams playing games to 40 points. There’s no clock (other than the shot clock) and nobody fouls out.

The fourth team in the tournament will be the one that wins the Rising Stars competition on Friday. For All-Star Game purposes, it will be called Candace's Rising Stars, in honor of Candace Parker.

The semifinal matchups: Chuck’s Global Stars vs. Kenny’s Young Stars, Shaq's OGs vs. Candace's Rising Stars.

According to BetMGM Sportsbook, Team Shaq is the All-Star favorite at +155, just ahead of Team Chuck (+165). Team Kenny is at +375 and Team Candace is at +650.

For the Skills Competition, it's Team Cavs (Mitchell and Mobley) as the favorites. They're at +200, just ahead of Team Spurs (Wembanyama and Chris Paul, +225), Team Warriors (Draymond Green and Moses Moody, +275) and Team Rooks (Atlanta's Zaccharie Risacher and Washington's Alex Sarr, +375).

And Lillard is favored to win his third consecutive 3-point contest, with odds of +375. Herro and Garland are both +500, tied as the second choice, just ahead of Buddy Hield and the Clippers' Norman Powell (both +525).

— Kevin Hart will be the on-court emcee for the All-Star Game.

— Trae Young Kyrie Irving picked as All-Star replacements for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis.

— Giannis Antetokounmpo won't play at All-Star weekend.

— Damian Lillard, Victor Wembanyama among those in All-Star Saturday.

— How the new All-Star format works.

— LeBron picked for 21st All-Star Game, extending his NBA record.

DJ Cassidy, Too $hort, Saweetie, En Vogue and Raphael Saadiq will be among the featured performers on All-Star Sunday. For All-Star Saturday night, H.E.R. and LiAngelo Ball — the brother of NBA guards Lonzo Ball and LaMelo Ball — will be among the performers. And Bay Area rapper LaRussell will take the stage to perform an original song to introduce the Rising Stars on Friday night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, center, reacts on the bench during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, center, reacts on the bench during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

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