Utter chaos ensued in the Ligue One game between Nice and Marseille this evening, with the match at the Allianz Riviera suspended.
Nice were 1-0 up courtesy of a goal from Kasper Dolberg at the start of the second half but all hell broke loose later on when Dimitri Payet had a bottle thrown at him as he went to take a corner.
The former West Ham man was livid and dashed the bottle back at the Nice fans in the stands and that led to home supporters storming the pitch in some crazy scenes.
Security could not contain the fans and proceedings were halted in the 75th minute. Shockingly, a member of the Marseille coaching team floored a supporter with a punch to the face, while a fan tried to kick Payet.
Jorge Sampaoli, Marseille’s manager, looked like he wanted to throw hands as things got really ugly.
Malice in the Marseille Palace pic.twitter.com/LkFtYS4NiH
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) August 22, 2021
One of the Marseille staff ran on and lumped a Nice fan ffs 🤣 pic.twitter.com/Vq0aq1rN1u
— Pato (@jpaterson97) August 22, 2021
Another shocking image shows an OGC Nice “fan” attempting to kick Dimitri Payet. pic.twitter.com/Cwurpmnsq7
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) August 22, 2021
Jorge Sampaoli is really wanting to throw down and knock someone out.
Marseille and now Nice squads having a real shuffle now. Basile Boli also wanting to uppercut someone.
Just wow. pic.twitter.com/yHcVRs0tIM
— TWDTV (@TWDTV1) August 22, 2021
Here’s what happened to #Payet.
Can understand why the Marseille players are upset…pic.twitter.com/6xz35uOcSN
— Robin Bairner (@RBairner) August 22, 2021
Marseille players did not want to finish the game and that was communicated by the club’s president Pablo Longoria to officials in the tunnel.
It emerged that match officials came to the decision to finish the rest of the game and Nice skipper Dante tried convince the opposition players to continue.
However, the players refused to and so the game was abandoned. It will likely now result in a 3-0 loss for Marseille.
According to reports in France, a Nice supporter was taken away on a stretcher after being badly injured in the stampede and three Marseille players also suffered injuries.
Broadcasters Amazon said Payet drew blood and some of his colleagues, including former Arsenal man Matteo Guendouzi, had strangle marks on their necks.
OGC Nice ultras drew blood from Dimitri Payet on his back & other Marseille players have strangle marks on their necks, according to Amazon.
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) August 22, 2021
Dimitri Payet’s back. pic.twitter.com/hFmiwg97ni
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) August 22, 2021
Featured Image Credit: Amazon