What began with a poignant tribute quickly devolved into pandemonium on the final day of Ligue 1, as frustrated supporters at both Nantes and Nice stormed their respective pitches to voice profound discontent.

At the Stade de la Beaujoire, FC Nantes, already facing an inevitable drop to Ligue 2 even before their last match against Toulouse, had planned a heartfelt farewell for their 74-year-old coach, Vahid Halilhodzic. Despite his efforts, Halilhodzic couldn’t secure the club’s top-flight status, and players and staff honored him with a guard of honor before warm-ups. The image of a smiling, moved Halilhodzic starkly contrasted with the scenes that unfolded just 22 minutes into the game. Dozens of hooded Nantes fans, after igniting flares, surged onto the field. Their target: the club’s management, though President Waldemar Kita and his son were notably absent from the stadium.

Referee Stéphanie Frappart promptly directed the players back to the dressing rooms. “The decision was made to permanently halt the match by the prefect for security reasons,” the international referee stated in a brief press conference, approximately forty minutes after the initial interruption. During the stoppage, Halilhodzic remained pitch-side, visibly agitated and confronting the encroaching supporters, only to be restrained by security personnel.

“such incidents cannot be tolerated”

“The scenes of violence witnessed minutes ago during the match are utterly unacceptable and have no place in sport or our Republic,” commented Sports Minister Marina Ferrari. “I unequivocally condemn these actions and extend my full support to the players and the peaceful fans who came to enjoy the event. The prefect’s decision to definitively suspend the encounter was imperative. We simply cannot tolerate such incidents.”

Meanwhile, in Nice, the Gym’s supporters waited until the final whistle before storming the pitch, flares in hand. Their fury stemmed from their team’s goalless draw against bottom-of-the-table Metz (0-0), a result that consigned OGC Nice to a relegation playoff against Saint-Etienne to retain their Ligue 1 status. The Prefect of Alpes-Maritimes strongly denounced the “excesses and damage perpetrated by ultra supporters.”

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Jean-Pierre Rivère, President of Nice, echoed the sentiment, expressing his “regret over the incidents” following the “immense disappointment” of failing to avoid the playoffs. “Everyone has endured a tough season,” he acknowledged. “There’s a lot of bitterness, a lot of anger. But it’s not over yet. We still have two matches, undoubtedly very challenging, but they are there. As long as it’s not over, we must push forward.”

The first leg of their playoff tie, scheduled for the Allianz Arena, could potentially be played behind closed doors as a consequence of these disturbances. Before these crucial encounters, OGC Nice is also set to compete in the Coupe de France final against Lens on Friday. However, the club’s focus appears entirely elsewhere. “The priority is no longer there,” Rivère admitted. “Our sole ambition now is to survive and remain in Ligue 1.”