• FC Metz supporters will not yet be able to travel to Bollaert for Sunday's match.

  • The authorities put forward the risk of clashes between the supporters of the two teams because of a “historic dispute”.

  • The animosity goes back in particular to the title of champion of France of Lens, in 1998, gained to the detriment of Metz.

Long sentence.

No one claiming to be a supporter of FC Metz will be able to attend the League 1 match between RC Lens and the Lorraine club on Sunday at the Bollaert stadium.

The reason given by the authorities is a "historical dispute" between the ultras of the two teams, the origin of which dates back a decade.

It is not systematic, but it is not the first time either that the Metz supporters will be prevented from going to support their team in Bollaert, and vice versa.

The rivalry dates back to 1998, when RC Lens won the title of French Champion at the expense of Metz.

A French Cup and clashes

But the triggering event occurred later, on December 16, 2011, when the two clubs were playing in league 2. After the match where Metz had won 2-0, incidents had opposed fans of the two teams. and law enforcement.

Five members of a group of Metz supporters, the Horda Frenetik, had also been attacked by about twenty Lensois.

Four months later, a bus carrying Messins to attend the Lens-Metz match had been graveled when arriving near Bollaert.

Five Lens supporters had also been arrested.

Since then, prefectural decrees have followed one another to prevent clashes by prohibiting travel.

This will therefore be the case for the scheduled meeting on Sunday at 3 p.m.

People who openly claim to be supporters of FC Metz will not be able to circulate in a large area around the Bollaert stadium.

They will not be able to attend the match either.

The prefect, in his decree, also prohibits the transport and use of firecrackers, smoke bombs and alcoholic beverages within and around the stadium.

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