The OGC Nice lost 1-0 against Sporting Club de Bastia, but the result matters very little in light of the incidents after the final whistle. It was the substitute goalkeeper’s display of the Corsican flag that set things off. As a result, hundreds of fans stormed the field to confront the Bastia fans. These incidents could end up costing OGC Nice dearly in the disciplinary committee.
Intolerable, unbearable, indescribable… Words fail to describe the events that took place at the Allianz Riviera moments after the Nice-Bastia match, which counted for the 10th day of Ligue 1. An anecdotal 1-0 defeat for OGC Nice against their Bastia rivals in an always heated derby.
A few days before the match, another event had already heated up a derby that didn’t need it: the ban by the Alpes-Maritimes prefect on “wearing, possessing, and using any object or clothing bearing the image of Corsica or a Corsican sports club.” A decision that, unknowingly, would escalate this Saturday evening.
It was precisely 9:52 PM when Saïd Enjimi blew the final whistle for the Nice-Bastia match. The Nice players warmly greeted the Bastia players and applauded their supporters. It was at this moment that Jean-Louis Leca, a substitute goalkeeper for SC Bastia, took out a Corsican flag, prominently displayed it, and ran a few meters at the center circle. An unnecessary provocation, according to some, which is why OGC Nice captain Didier Digard tried to dissuade him and invited him to return to the locker room. It was already too late; the situation escalated, and some supporters broke through the barriers to join the field.
“When I saw Jean-Louis Leca waving his flag, the supporters were starting to heat up. I wanted to get him off the field, but he didn’t agree. He really wanted everyone to see him, especially in front of the Populaire Sud.” regrets Didier Digard, captain of OGC Nice.
What followed was incredible confusion with a massive influx of Nice supporters onto the field to confront the Bastia players. Security was overwhelmed, and the situation was explosive! The stewards tried their best to contain the situation, but being understaffed, they could only report the damage. On the players’ side, Bastia and Nice players managed to reach the tunnel to the locker rooms, protected by security. No injured players were reported, but there were a few injured among the stewards and security members.
“There was a small discussion between the Bastia and Nice players, nothing serious, just words, no raised hands. We turned around and saw thirty Nice supporters arriving with stewards. When you’re alone against a hundred people, initially you take hits and then you start giving them. A Corsican flag is not an insult; it was brandished in response to the ban, not against the Nice supporters or players.” explained François Modesto, a Bastia defender.
The situation calmed down after many minutes of chaos.
Unfortunately, thirty minutes later, a new brawl broke out in the parking lot where the Corsican bus was parked. The Bastia players exchanged verbal insults with the stadium security members, and vice-versa, which incited a commotion quickly contained. Most OGC Nice players passed through the mixed zone without saying a word. Only Didier Digard and Souleymane Diawara spoke out about the incidents.
In the coming weeks, the Professional Football League (L.F.P.) is expected to assess the incidents and impose heavy penalties against OGC Nice. Punishments could range from a hefty fine to a suspension of the stadium (the most severe), including closed-door matches.
