Misinformation circulating regarding the Champions League final, denying the presence of a pro-Palestinian banner and incorrectly stating five fatalities.
Straight Up on the Champions League Victory:
Paris Saint-Germain clinched their long-awaited Champions League title last Saturday, trouncing Inter Milan 5-0 in the final 🏆. With major sporting events like the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games, misinformation can run rampant on social media. We're here to separate fact from fiction regarding the recent Champions League final chaos in France.
Setting the Record Straight on Tragic Deaths
A viral video purportedly shows chaos during the Champions League celebrations with the claim, "Middle Eastern migrants took over the streets of Paris, and there are reports of five people being killed" [#X]. Let's nip that myth in the bud—the events did cause trouble, but only two lives were tragically lost 💔.
No credible evidence suggests five deaths occurred during the Champions League celebrations 🤷♂️. Checking multiple Spanish and French sources up to the article's publication date showed no records of five fatalities. The disturbances included a man killed by a car in Paris, a 17-year-old boy stabbed in Dax, and two critical injuries from car accidents in Grenoble, plus a comatose police officer due to fireworks in Coutances.
** authorities have all reported the same — two deaths 😥. French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the incidents, citing "two dead" and "a dozen or so police and firefighters injured"** 💉.
Busting the Myth about Palestine Solidarity Banners
On social media, we've spotted a video featuring a 'Free Palestine' banner being unfurled in a stadium, falsely claimed to have happened "during the Champions League final" in France 🚫.
Looks like we got ya' there, folks— that banner was hoisted during a match played on November 6, 2024, between Paris Saint-Germain and Atlético Madrid at the Parc des Princes, not the actual final 🏆.
The misleading video was published during this match day itself, and media outlets reported on the Palestine solidarity banner and the ensuing reactions [1][2][3].
The Champions League final wasn't held in France 🇫🇷—it took place in Munich, Germany. The video's backdrop resembles the Parc des Princes due to logos, but they're lacking in the stadium panorama of the actual final, where the home team symbolism is absent.
Exposing the Funeral Hoax
The internet's also been abuzz with a video featuring football stars like Victor Valdes, Andres Iniesta, and others at a church, claiming to be the funeral of Xana, the daughter of Paris Saint Germain coach, Luis Enrique, who passed away in 2019. People, you've been hoaxed 🤬.
This video actually depicts the funeral of Tito Vilanova, Barcelona FC's former coach who died in 2014 🕯️. The same images have been used as a news agency AP report on Vilanova's farewell. We also covered the event live in our Telediario news in April 2014. In the video, you can see accessible Barcelona footballers, such as Victor Valdes, Carles Puyol, and others who were active during that period.
Xana, the daughter of Luis Enrique, truly did pass away five years later, on the 29th of August 2019. The compassionate Paris Saint-Germain fans unveiled a heartfelt banner to commemorate Xana after their historic Champions League victory 💖.
- The misinformation circulating on social media suggests that five people were killed during the Champions League celebrations in Paris, but according to French authorities and various sources, only two lives were tragically lost.
- Contrary to claims made on social media, a video featuring a 'Free Palestine' banner unfurled in a stadium was not from the Champions League final in France, but from a match played between Paris Saint-Germain and Atlético Madrid on November 6, 2024.
- A video circulating online, claiming to be the funeral of Xana, the daughter of Paris Saint Germain coach Luis Enrique, who passed away in 2019, was actually the funeral of Tito Vilanova, Barcelona FC's former coach who died in 2014.
