“An insult to football”

It was the 75th minute of the game at the Allianz Riviera. Dimitri Payet was about to take a corner when a bottle hit his back. The reaction of the French international, after having fallen to the ground, was to return that bottle to the bottom of the Nice ultras. A gesture that triggered a field invasion and a fight between ultras and Marseille players that caused the immediate suspension of the match between Nice and Olympique de Marseille that it was 1-0 in favor of the local team.

In the midst of the altercations, several members of Olympique de Marseille suffered injuries, which caused Pablo Longoria, president of the entity, to flatly refuse to return his team to the field of play with the Nice ultra group roaming freely with the approval of the president, Jean-Pierre Rivère, who assured minutes later that he did not understand OM's attitude to not return to the pitch, stating that the ultras had assured him that safety it was guaranteed. Payet, directly involved in the incidents, suffered a bruise on his back, while Luan Peres and Guendouzi, both OM players, showed symbols of strangulation, in some images that border on the ridiculous for French football.

Meanwhile, the LFP issued a statement today calling for Nice and Olympique de Marseille on Wednesday to try to reconcile both parties and seek a solution. According to RMC Sport, no scenario is ruled out regarding the outcome of the meeting. There is talk from when they can give Nice the match won by not leaving the OM on the pitch (literally under the rules of the game), until the match resumes with 0-0 and without an audience or even the possibility that Marseille I won the encounter for the incidents with the ultras. At the moment, the only thing that is known is that the meeting will take place on Wednesday and that the objective of the LFP is that victory is won on the field of play.

On the other hand, Roxana Maracineanu, French sports minister, considered today in RMC Sport that the incidents that occurred on Sunday are “an insult to football.” The policy also confirmed that the Nice Prosecutor's Office has already opened an investigation to clarify the facts and assured that there will be severe sanctions for all those who are identified as responsible for the brawl. “I am fighting all hatred in the stadiums. The LFP and the representatives of the clubs must be responsible and sanction with common sense, according to what happened and seen in the field. It is unacceptable that our fans throw objects, be violent and throw themselves onto the pitch. The clubs that host matches are primarily responsible for the safety of the players, the coaching staff, the referees and what happens in the stands. I reserve the right to press charges against the assault. However, I have already seen that the prosecutor has taken over the case. I hope that the authorities can carry out their work with peace of mind and that there are criminal charges against those designated as responsible, and then I hope that the sports authorities take the necessary disciplinary measures and that an example is set in Europe ”, the minister stressed.