Nice’s first game since being taken over by Britain’s richest man Sir Jim Ratcliffe descended into chaos after it was temporarily suspended due to banners and chants.
Clement Turpin, the referee for the Ligue 1 fixture against Marseille, went to speak with Nice boss Patrick Vieira before concluding the game needed to be halted for 10 minutes while the issue with the supporters behind one of the goals was sorted.
‘We can’t stop a game every time some idiots do something, otherwise we’ll never play, it’s nonsense,’ Nice midfielder Wylan Cyprien told Canal+ during the stoppage in play.
Concerns were raised five minutes before the decision was made to temporarily suspend the match as the stadium announcer looked toplead with supporters to end insulting behaviour.
‘We ask you to stop these insulting remarks, otherwise the match will be interrupted,’ the message over the PA system said, as reported by RTL.
Nice’s players, led by former Bayern Munich defender Dante, went over to the supporters believed to be the offending party in a bid to strike an agreement to end the taunts.
But the players quickly retreated having seemingly failed to engage in a positive dialogue.
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