• Five days after the serious incidents that marked Nice-OM, Jorge Sampaoli made a point of apologizing to the “children” who were watching the match.

  • He recalled having acted in this way out of “fear”, and supported his deputy, sanctioned by the LFP.

  • He also made a point of appealing to the supporters for appeasement in view of the next OM match.

Four days after the serious incidents that punctuated OM's last match away from Nice, Jorge Sampaoli wanted to “apologize” to the “children” who were watching the match.

After the bottles were thrown on the pitch by Nice supporters, a general fight broke out between supporters, players and staff.

“Sunday, we were afraid, justifies Jorge Sampaoli, in a message that he seemed to read at the start of the pre-match press conference against ASSE.

The opposing supporters attacked our players.

Security let it happen.

Some Nice leaders and players have not only not condemned this behavior but applauded it.

We entered the field to defend our players because no one was defending them.

"

Pablo Fernandez, "an excellent human being"

The Argentine coach also sent a message of appeasement to Marseille supporters, a few days before the match against Saint-Etienne at the Vélodrome. "We have to create a better society, and that's why I ask our supporters not to avenge anything, whether it is from Saturday for this match, and to behave as they always have done, like supporters who will always encourage us. "In a decree published this Thursday in the Official Journal, the Ministry of the Interior banned all movement of Stéphanois supporters in Marseille for fear of" disturbing public order ".

Jorge Sampaoli also wanted to support his deputy Pablo Fernandez, while the latter was suspended by the LFP on Wednesday evening because of his violent behavior on Sunday evening during the incidents in Nice.

“He wanted to defend the players, believes the OM coach.

Surely he himself knows that he did not act well, but I, for my part, can assure you that he is an excellent human being, an excellent professional.

"

The referee victim of "pressure"

"I also want to praise the attitude of the referee," said Sampaoli, victim according to him of "pressure for this match to continue.

"It also shows that sometimes politics takes precedence over the common good," launches the Marseille coach, bitter.

Visibly annoyed, Sampaoli hammered that the current procedure at the LFP took to his liking "too long".

"Everyone saw what happened," he fumed.

"Only one club is involved, it's Nice," said Sampaoli.

We have nothing to do with it.

"

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  • Marseilles

  • Apologies

  • Jorge Sampaoli

  • OGC Nice

  • OM