Lille (AFP)

Scuffles erupted Saturday afternoon in the center of Sedan (Ardennes) between Dutch and Bastian supporters, a few hours before a National 2 (4th div.) Match between Sedan and Bastia, leaving at least six injured, including one serious, have we learned from consistent sources.

While the match started at 6:00 p.m. and ended in a draw (0-0), the incidents began "around 1:30 p.m." between dozens of Basti supporters and "a Dutch group," the official said. 'AFP the Ardennes prefecture, specifying that "six people were injured, including one seriously".

According to the firefighters, the injured were taken to hospital, one of them "in absolute emergency". In the evening, they then announced that the latter was "out of danger".

These Dutch supporters "a priori came for the fight. These are uncontrollable elements very difficult to detect", continued the prefecture, saying that "their motivations certainly have nothing to do with sport".

The Bastian supporters involved were themselves "independent of the club, came on their own" unlike the few hundred spectators who left Beauty Island by plane.

"There was a + fight + (fight) (...) quite fast. A hundred Dutch attacked 50 Bastiais", detailed Philippe Miziniak, departmental director of public security (DDSP) of the Ardennes, specifying that the injured were predominantly Dutch.

In the middle of the afternoon, calm had returned to the city center, according to the prefecture, which only deplores "slight damage" but "no broken windows or affected businesses".

According to several witnesses, messages have multiplied in recent days on social networks, "inviting" Utrecht supporters to Sedan.

"We were quietly at the bar and they came upon us. It's amazing. We have no rivalry with Sedan, it's not like Nice or Marseille where we know it can be tense. not last very long, "said a Corsican supporter to an AFP correspondent, not wishing to give his name.

This move of SC Bastia to Sedan was a shock between the two co-leaders of group A of National 2 who are struggling to get into National. More than 11,000 spectators attended this duel at the Louis-Duguaguez stadium, including a thousand Corsicans.

The draw (0-0) benefits the CSSA more which keeps the advantage over Sporting with the difference of particular goals after having imposed itself to go to Corsica (1-0).

In March 2007, during an L1 Sedan-PSG match, incidents had already broken out in Sedan between a hundred Utrecht supporters and PSG supporters.

Utrecht supporters used to attend major football matches in Sedan since the tribute paid by the Ardennes club to their former player David Di Tommaso, after his death in November 2005 while he was under contract with the Dutch club.

cor-erd-eva-nb / ach

© 2020 AFP