A serious charge pursues a Marseille fan because of a "throwaway"

A Marseille fan was charged with attempted murder today for firing a projectile that seriously injured a German fan during his team's match against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League last month.

The public prosecutor said the 26-year-old admitted he was "the owner of the projectile that was directed towards the car park of the visiting fans" during the match in the southern French coastal city on September 13.

A judge had released the accused, a decision appealed by French prosecutors.

The victim, a 65-year-old man, was shot in the neck and required hospital treatment and is expected to take four months off work.

His friend, 64, suffered burns on his hand while trying to dislodge the projectile.

The match, which Marseille lost 0-1, was marred by riots, in which 17 people were arrested.

Smoke bombs were fired from the visitors' car park, where more than 3,000 German fans gathered, and Marseille fans launched projectiles and fireworks.


According to a statement issued by the Public Prosecutor's Office in Marseille, the German fan was hit by a projectile fired "from the bottom of the northern stand" of the Velodrome stadium.

During the match, German fans gave the Nazi salute in the stands of the visiting team.

And the European Football Association (UEFA) punished Marseille with a match behind closed doors in the Champions League against Sporting Lisbon of Portugal (the French team won 4-1).

Frankfurt and Marseille meet in Germany in the fifth round next Wednesday.

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