In a statement, the Porto Police said that the detention and identification of foreigners occurred "as a result of clashes" between groups of fans in the city.

According to the police, "notwithstanding the police numbers involved, and the fact that adequate preventive measures had been taken to try and ensure public order and the safety of citizens, there was a dispersion of incidents involving aggressions and disorders throughout the city, which resulted, in addition to several injuries who were admitted to A&E, there was also damage to commercial establishments and public spaces".

Underlining that Porto "welcomed, throughout the week, hundreds of English and Belgian fans who will attend the European competition matches", which will take place today in Braga and Guimarães, the police said that, different operational units were deployed.

It highlighted the use of spotters / supporter monitoring units, Rapid Intervention Teams, Prevention and Immediate Reaction Teams, Criminal Investigation and Special Police Unit.

English and Belgian supporters were involved in confrontations in Porto, during the day and night of Wednesday, causing damage to an esplanade, according to information provided by the police in the early hours of today, when no arrests had yet been made, nor was there any record of injuries.

According to the same source, the clashes took place in several places in Porto, such as the Clérigos area, where the esplanade was trashed.

Today, the Belgian Standard Liège team will face Vitória de Guimarães, while England's Wolverhampton team will be playing Sporting Braga in matches from the group stage of the Europa League.