“There are two visions competing with each other tonight,” said Marseille president Jacques-Henri Eyraud on Sunday. “There is the vision of Marseille that we know – the one that did great things, won titles and has had great success – but there is also the Marseille of chaos, the Marseille that has known 20 managers in 20 years, the scheming Marseille, the Marseille filled with judicial troubles, the Marseille of backroom deals.”
Marseille were once again plunged into crisis this weekend when more than 100 ultras stormed the club’s training ground. They breached the gates and set off dozens of fireworks, firecrackers and smoke bombs, causing fires and setting trees alight. The Marseille defender Álvaro González was struck in the back with a projectile and suffered a minor back injury. “I came to Olympique de Marseille for its history and the passion that surrounds it,” said González. “This city is wonderful, we all love this club but what we experienced today must never happen again.”
Police made 25 arrests and Marseille’s game against Rennes at the Stade Vélodrome was postponed. “Thefts were committed and vehicles were damaged,” said the club in a statement. “Five trees were burned with the sole aim being destruction. The damage done to the interior of the buildings amounts to several hundred thousand euros. These irresponsible and unacceptable actions must be condemned with the utmost severity.” Marseille owner Frank McCourt compared the violence to the attack on the US Capitol building last month, saying: “What happened in Washington DC and what happened in Marseille follow a comparable logic: a few sources are fuelling an inferno of opinions, invectives and threats which are amplified by the social networks creating the conditions that lead to violence and chaos.”
This is the latest, and most serious, example of the rise in hooliganism across French football. Marseille ultras have repeatedly caused trouble in recent years. Eyraud was the main target of this latest aggression, with supporters angry at how he has reshaped the club, especially internally. He said in December that he was opposed to Marseille staff also being fans. “In terms of productivity, the impact that a defeat had on the attitudes, behaviours, on a daily basis was strong – and that was not on,” Eyraud explained. He reportedly initiated a raft of dismissals when he took over the club in 2017, including some staff who had been connected to the club for decades.
The team’s disastrous recent slump in form has infuriated fans further. In December, Marseille were two winnable games in hand away from topping Ligue 1. Now they lie a distant ninth after three consecutive defeats, including to bottom side Nîmes. Such is the crisis that manager André Villas-Boas bizarrely joked this week that he might be sacked live on TV by sporting director Pablo Longoria at the unveiling of new striker Arkadiusz Milik, as Longoria sat beside him, laughing awkwardly. Villas-Boas later said he did not expect to stay at the club beyond June, when his deal expires. As one of the highest paid coaches in Ligue 1, Marseille may not be able to afford him.
Marseille were not the only Ligue 1 club to experience the ferocity of their ultras this weekend. After just one win in 17 games, 300 Saint-Étienne ultras visited the club’s training ground to air their grievances on Saturday. Although their protest was non-violent, footage of fans encircling players chanting and clapping in unison showed a scenario designed to both encourage and intimidate players.
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(@GFFN)Earlier today, St Étienne fans stopped their team’s training session to put pressure on them amid a poor run of form – circled the team & half encouragingly half intimidatingly chanted at them. (Le Progrès)pic.twitter.com/xpmgbqFUsM
Sainté’s ultras are notoriously unruly. Angry fans forced an early end to their derby against Lyon in 2017 by invading the pitch during their 5-0 defeat. During a game against PSG last season, ultras set off dozens of fireworks in the stands, which rebounded off the roof and went on to the pitch.
Aggression and unrest from supporters of various clubs has routinely punctuated recent campaigns. Bastia ultras jumped barriers to attack Lyon players before a league game in 2017. Montpellier fans invaded the pitch during a 2018 derby with Nîmes, after rival ultras had stolen their main stadium banner and unfurled it mid-game. Punishments were also handed out to Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 clubs last season after a long overdue clamp down on homophobic songs. Ultras were banned from the Parc des Princes following the death of a supporter during a brawl between rival PSG groups in 2010.
The French footballing authorities seem powerless to control the offending groups. Marseille and Saint-Étienne have both played games behind closed doors in recent years (back when that was a punishment rather than a necessity) and various other clubs have been fined or had stands closed. However, nothing has changed. Despite there being no supporters at games, ultras continue to cause serious trouble.
French fans can be a credit to the league. The atmosphere at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille, the Chaudron in Saint-Étienne and the Stade Bollaert-Delelis in Lens are among the most passionate and colourful in world football. But that vociferous passion has repeatedly morphed into violence. Scenes such as the one we saw in Marseille this weekend are completely unacceptable and only degrade Ligue 1’s already flagging reputation. French football faces many challenges, but hooliganism remains the most dangerous.
A pivotal week for Ligue 1’s broadcast hopes
French football’s farcical broadcast rights debacle is entering a crucial period. Without a replacement, Spanish outlet Mediapro have continued to broadcast Ligue 1 games for free after the collapse of a €1.15bn arrangement just three months into a four-year contract. Monday will see a fresh auction, with Canal+ and Amazon Prime potential bidders. The league wants at least €300m per season on top of the remaining €320m package held by BeIN Sports. Negotiations will be tricky, with the LFP and Canal+ currently in a legal battle.
If the minimum price is not reached, each separate package of games could be negotiated on an individual basis. Such a situation would likely increase the LFP’s embarrassment after failing to ensure sufficient guarantees over Mediapro’s ability to fund the initial deal. Either way, the money is desperately needed as Ligue 1 clubs continue to face financial ruin. This week, Lens employees agreed to cut their salaries by up to 20% for six months. Other clubs are working towards similar agreements. The meetings on Monday are unlikely to rescue the LFP’s reputation, but they could be crucial to the survival of Ligue 1 clubs.
PSG suffer shock last-minute defeat to Lorient
Mauricio Pochettino suffered his first defeat as PSG coach on Sunday afternoon as a depleted and relegation-threatened Lorient miraculously came from 2-1 down to win 3-2 thanks to two goals in the last 10 minutes. Swathes of Lorient players have been sidelined by Covid-19 in recent weeks, forcing the cancellation of two league games. Many players had been unable to train before their injury-time win over Dijon in midweek and their manager, Christophe Pelissier, had to make seven changes for the PSG game.
Little was expected of the hosts, but Pochettino has yet to find intensity or verve of the Thomas Tuchel era. Neymar was impressive, but Kylian Mbappé and Ángel Di María were ineffective. Laurent Abergel opened the scoring for Lorient before Houboulang Mendes clumsily conceded two penalties either side of half-time, both converted by Neymar.
However, in the torrential Breton rain, substitutes Terem Moffi and Yoane Wissa cut through the PSG defence for the latter to slam home an equaliser with 10 minutes to play. As PSG overcommitted in search of a winner, Moffi – who has scored in five consecutive games – broke free and calmly slotted home the decisive goal. Wins for Lyon and Lille pushed PSG down to third in the table. The title race is on.
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