An enthusiastic Marseille fan waves en route to the football match Sunday with Paris St. Germain at Parc des Princes, Paris.
Police prepare to meet football fans off the bus from Marseille. A fierce rivalry between the teams representing France's two largest cities often erupts in fistfights, hence the police's aim to keep Marseille and Paris fans separated.
After getting off the bus from Marseille, fans singing and waving flags are kept behind barricades, awaiting police escort to the stadium at Parc des Princes.
Ticket holders to the Paris SG-Marseille match are completely surrounded by French CRS police wearing protective riot gear, as well as several gendarmerie on horseback.
Marseille supporters walk to Parc des Princes to await kickoff.
Enthusiastic Marseille fans were ultimately disappointed with a 1-1 draw. David and I are not football fans, although I do admire David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane. But Parc des Princes is a 15-minute walk from our apartment and David was out experimenting with his new digital camera. The football stadium is opposite Stade Jean Bouin, home of the Stade Francais rugby team. The 2007 Rugby World Cup kicks off in Paris Friday night, with France vs. Argentina.
Photos by David Holmes
The photo quality is excellent. Like Tongue in Cheek, those are guys from my neck of the woods.
Posted by: meredith | 05 September 2007 at 09:04
They certainly do look enthusiastic!
Posted by: tinker | 05 September 2007 at 07:00
Love the crazy support of those football fans! Soccer is in our blood with both hubby and daughter life long players!
Posted by: stephanie | 04 September 2007 at 22:22
Great pictures of our Marseille's fans !! My sister is too but she looks more " feminine"
Posted by: Mélanie | 04 September 2007 at 15:45
Great photos!
Marseille has crazy loving fans! I can hear them cheering from where I live, 45 miles away!
Posted by: tongue in cheek | 04 September 2007 at 13:38
Well, David's new digital does a great job! Chris is a huge football fan. He got me hooked during the last World Cup. His hero is Pele..he is not much of a Zidane fan since the incident during the World Cup last year. I sure hope those Rugby player behave in Paris :)
Posted by: My Melange | 04 September 2007 at 13:28
One goal each! The perfect result. Great photos!
Posted by: cream | 03 September 2007 at 08:39