All the things began nicely although. Already assured of a descent into Ligue 2 earlier than the final match of the season in opposition to Toulouse, FC Nantes organized a tribute to Vahid Halilhodzic. At 74, the Canaries coach, who did not preserve his membership within the elite, was going to expertise his final match on a bench and FCN gamers and workers had reserved a guard of honor for him earlier than the warm-up.
The picture of the technician, with a smile on his lips, moved, contrasted with that taken within the twenty second minute of play, when dozens of hooded Nantes supporters, after throwing smoke bombs, rushed onto the sphere, to point out their anger to the Nantes leaders, even when President Waldemar Kita and his sonweren’t current at La Beaujoire.
Referee Stéphanie Frappart instantly despatched the gamers again to the locker room. “It was determined to definitively interrupt the match on the choice of the prefect for safety causes,” declared the worldwide referee throughout a quick press convention, virtually forty minutes after the match was interrupted. On the time of the interruption, Halilhodzic remained on the sting of the pitch insulting the supporters who have been getting nearer to him, simply held again by members of safety.
“We can’t tolerate such incidents”
“The scenes of violence that occurred a couple of minutes in the past through the match are unacceptable and have completely nothing to do with sport or in our Republic,” commented the Minister of Sports, Marina Ferrari. I condemn these actions within the strongest attainable phrases and supply my help to the gamers and supporters who got here to expertise this second in peace. The definitive interruption of this assembly, determined by the prefect, was needed. We can’t tolerate such incidents. »
In Good, the Fitness center supporters waited till the top of the match to launch themselves onto the pitch, smoke bombs in hand, indignant after their staff’s draw in opposition to bottom-place Metz (0-0), which condemned them to enjoying within the play-offs in opposition to Saint-Etienne within the hope of remaining within the elite of French soccer. The prefect of Alpes-Maritimes “strongly condemned the excesses and injury dedicated by extremely supporters”.
The Coupe de France forgotten for Good?
Jean-Pierre Rivère, the president of Niceadditionally “regretted the incidents” after the “big disappointment” born from his staff’s lack of ability to keep away from the play-offs. “Everybody has had a nasty time this season,” he stated. We are able to have a number of bitterness, a number of anger. However it’s not completed. We’ve two matches left, actually very sophisticated, however they’re there. Till it is over, we’ve to go. »
The primary leg on the Allianz Area could possibly be performed behind closed doorways after these excesses. However earlier than these two conferences, OGC Good will play the ultimate of the Coupe de France in opposition to Lens on Friday. And the Fitness center would not appear to consider it in any respect. “The precedence is now not there,” acknowledged Jean-Pierre Rivère. The one ambition we are able to have is to get out of this and keep in Ligue 1.”
