Nice fans’ fury boils over: Players attacked after sixth straight loss

PARIS (AP) — A shocked French sporting world has unanimously condemned “unacceptable” acts of fan violence targeting Nice players and staff after another defeat by the Riviera side over the weekend.

After a sixth consecutive loss across all competitions on Sunday — 3-1 at Lorient in Ligue 1 — Nice players were confronted by a large number of their supporters when they returned to the club’s training and academy center.

Players and staff were reportedly assaulted and fans shouted insults and demanded greater commitment from the squad.

Nice prosecutor Damien Martinelli said on Tuesday that two players, whom he did not identify, filed a complaint. An investigation has been opened for aggravated assault, participation in a group preparing acts of violence or vandalism, and failure to prevent an offense against physical integrity, he said.

Martinelli explained that the players reported having been punched, kicked, and spat on while being insulted by supporters — many of whom had their faces covered — before managing to flee toward the training center.

“The club understands the frustration caused by the series of poor results and performances that fall short of its values,” Nice said. “However, the incidents that occurred during this gathering are unacceptable. Several members of the club were confronted and targeted. OGC Nice offers them its full support and condemns these actions in the strongest possible terms.”

According to l’Equipe newspaper, players Jérémie Boga and Terem Moffi took multiple blows, including to the head and groin, while sporting director Florian Maurice was also assaulted. L’Equipe and RMC said that Boga and Moffi have been given medical leave.

The French league (LFP) said the assaults were “completely unacceptable, undermining the integrity of the participants in the game and the values of football.” The LFP added it will join as a civil party in the complaints filed by the players to ensure that the incidents are thoroughly investigated.

“The LFP expresses its full support for the affected players and OGC Nice, and reaffirms its determination to guarantee the safety of all football stakeholders.”

Sports Minister Marina Ferrari joined in the criticism, posting on X that the incidents had “nothing to do with true fan culture.”

“I will always defend those who bring life and energy to our stadiums, but never those who resort to violence, who must be held accountable for their actions,” she said.

‘Fighting for survival’

After 14 rounds, Nice sits 10th in the table, 14 points behind leader Lens. It has lost seven matches while conceding 26 goals.

The loss against Lorient came just three days after a 3-0 defeat at Porto in the Europa League. The club is bottom of the league phase table, having lost all five of its matches.

“We’re fighting for survival, that’s the reality,” Nice coach Franck Haise said on Sunday. “We’ll fight with those who want to fight. A team exists only when everyone has that desire.”

Maurice pointed to a lack of cohesion within the team after Nice let a 1-0 lead slip against Lorient.

“Every time there’s a slight setback we can’t recover,” he said. “That proves that we lack cohesion, perhaps values, at a given moment, to fight and go and get results.”

In Lorient, several Nice players approached their traveling supporters for an impromptu discussion.

“I know you travel thousands of kilometers for us and I thank you for that. But, I swear, we’re giving our maximum,” midfielder Sofiane Diop told them on the pitch. “We are rubbish right now, we know it.”

Haise signed a new two-year deal with the Ligue 1 club in September until 2029 despite a lackluster start to the season. Nice was knocked out of the Champions League after losing to Benfica in the third qualifying round and has since struggled to get its campaign going.

The 54-year-old Haise took over Nice during the 2024 summer and led the Riviera team to a fourth-place finish last season.

Nice next faces Angers at home on Sunday.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer