Champions League games in England, France and Spain will go ahead as scheduled despite an alleged terror threat, the UEFA has said.
A media outlet linked to IS allegedly issued a threat concerning all four of this week’s ties.
Two English football clubs, Arsenal and Manchester City, are playing tonight in the European competition’s quarter-finals.
The Gunners will host the first leg of their last-eight tie at the Emirates Stadium against German giants Bayern Munich.
While Manchester City are in action away to Real Madrid where local reports said the roof was going to be closed for the game at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
Tomorrow, there are two further games – one in Paris, between PSG and Barcelona, and a second game in Madrid, between Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.
The Metropolitan Police’s deputy assistant commissioner Ade Adelekan, who is overseeing the policing of London today, said that the force had a “robust policing plan” in place for Arsenal’s game tonight.
In a statement, Arsenal said they were “working closely” with the Met Police to keep everyone safe during tonight’s match.
They added: “Our planning for tonight’s fixture is no different and our approach, working together with the police and UEFA, is proportionate to the current UK threat level.”
For the clash in the French capital, the country’s interior minister said that security had been “considerably reinforced”.
UEFA, Europe’s club football governing body, said in a statement: “UEFA is aware of alleged terrorist threats made towards this week’s UEFA Champions League matches and is closely liaising with the authorities at the respective venues.
“All matches are planned to go ahead as scheduled with appropriate security arrangements in place.”
French interior minister Gerald Darmanin has said that security will be “considerably reinforced” in Paris after a “threat” by the Islamic State group.
“We have seen, among others, a communication from the Islamic State which is particularly aimed at stadiums,” Mr Darmanin said
Meanwhile, in Spain, a government minister said they had taken all necessary precautions to avoid any terror attacks.
Over the two Madrid games, there will be more than 2,000 officers from the national police and civil guard deployed, along with municipal police.
The country’s interior minister added that the Spanish government and state security forces had taken “all relevant initiatives” to keep everyone at the two games, and within Madrid, safe.
