Football

Marseille to seek reversal of Nice forfeit result after fan invasion

Published

5 years ago

August 23, 2021

Olympique Marseille intend to take action to reverse the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) decision to award Nice a 3-0 victory from Sunday’s abandoned Ligue 1 game.

Play was suspended between Nice and Marseille at Venue Allianz Riviera with the hosts 1-0 up in the 76th minute when home fans flooded on to the pitch.

This was after OM’s Dimitri Payet reacted to being hit by a bottle projectile thrown from the crowd by sending it back.

The situation escalated as Nice ultras spilled on to the pitch and skirmishes broke out among fans, officials and players from both sides.

The players eventually left the field of play.

Marseille head coach Jorge Sampaoli was demonstrative in the tunnel and insistent his players should not return given the situation, along with OM president Pablo Longoria.

The match was set to resume but Marseille refused to return due to safety fears.

This meant the decision was made by the LFP that it was abandoned and Nice handed a 3-0 win.

But, now, Marseille will take action to have that decision reversed.

“The league has decided to resume. But we have decided, for the safety of our players, who have been attacked, not to resume the match,” Longoria said.

“It is already the second time we have experienced this in Montpellier. We had decided what happened today is completely unacceptable. We must set a precedent for French football by taking a stand.

“The referee agreed with us. He confirmed to us that safety was not guaranteed, he did not want to resume the game.

“But the LFP, for a matter of public order, wanted to resume. This is why we decided not to resume and to go back to Marseille this evening.”

Three OM players Luan Peres, Matteo Guendouzi and Dimitri Payet were injured in the melee.

Nice claimed that players Jean-Claire Todibo and Justin Kluivert were subjected to physical violence by Marseille’s security staff during the on-field melee.

“It is disappointing that it ends like this,” Nice president Jean-Pierre Rivere said.

“Things are quite clear… We had water bottles being thrown unfortunately but it is the reaction of the Marseille players to throw bottles back into the stands.

“Marseille’s security should not have come onto the pitch and hit our players.”

Rivere added: “What catalysed things was the reaction of two Marseille players … I don’t really understand why Marseille didn’t restart.