Nice (AFP)

The Nice-Marseille meeting closing the third day of Ligue 1, Sunday evening at the Allianz Riviera, stopped in the 75th minute after an invasion of the field while Nice led 1-0, did not resume due to the return of the Marseillais on the lawn.

Marseille has never returned to the lawn while the prefectural authorities have pushed in this direction.

Nice coach Christophe Galtier (c) and his players leave the field after the Ligue 1 match at home against Marseille was stopped, following the invasion of the field by Nice supporters, on August 22, 2021 at the Allianz Riviera Valery AX AFP

"We decided for the safety of our players, who were attacked during the invasion of the field, not to resume the match because the safety of our players was not guaranteed", explained the president of the club, Pablo. Longoria, in a video sent to the media.

The next Championship meeting between the two teams will therefore take place during the return phase to Marseille, on Sunday March 20.

If the result was approved, Nice (5 points) would now point to 3rd place in the championship, Marseille to 9th.

But now a battle on the green carpet is looming to determine the result.

The images seen on the Nice pitch have had a bad effect on French football after the disappointing sports results of the various French teams, at the Euro and during the Olympic Games, during the summer.

While Dimitri Payet was going to hit a Marseille corner in front of the Nice ultras of the popular south stand, the French international, fallen to the ground after being hit by various projectile jets from this stand, responded.

- A good match though -

This reaction, followed by that of some of his partners, unleashed the Nice supporters, many of whom tried to invade the lawn.

The gatherings and the beginnings of fights quickly forced the referee, Mr. Benoît Bastien, to interrupt the meeting (75th).

It then took very long minutes for the security service and the police to control the situation, after many blows were exchanged, not only from spectators but also players and staff members. , in complete confusion.

Fans invade the pitch during the Nice home match against Marseille on August 22, 2021 at the Allianz Riviera Valery HACHE AFP

Nearly an hour and a half later, the referee confirmed the final interruption of the meeting.

Yet there had been a match before.

And even a very good match between two teams which had their half-time and whose goalkeepers were efficient.

In front of 32,607 spectators, including 450 Marseille supporters, Nice, manhandled for 40 minutes, scored at the start of the second half, through Kasper Dolberg, from the chest and transfigured since his return from the Euro (1-0 , 49th).

The rest turned the party into a news item ...

© 2021 AFP