PARIS (AP) – Ligue 1 side Nice has condemned an “unacceptable” incident after angry fans attacked staff and players following another disappointing performance from the Riviera side last weekend.
On Sunday, Nice players faced a large crowd of supporters as they returned to the club’s training and academy center after suffering a 3-1 loss to Lorient in the French league, their sixth straight match in all competitions.
Tensions escalated, with fans shouting abuse and demanding greater commitment from the team, with some supporters reportedly boarding the team bus.
“The club understands the frustration caused by a series of poor results and performances below value,” Nice said in a statement late on Monday. “However, the incidents that occurred during this gathering are unacceptable. Several members of the club were confronted and targeted. OGC Nice offers them our full support and condemns these actions in the strongest possible terms.”
L’Equipe reported that some players and staff were spat at and even punched as they got off the bus. Jeremy Boga and Terem Moffi reportedly suffered the most severe assaults, receiving multiple blows to the head and groin, while sporting director Florian Maurice was also said to have been assaulted.
L’Equipe and RMC reported that Boga and Moffi had been placed on medical leave.
Nice did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.
After 14 matches, Nice are in 10th place, 14 points behind leaders Reims. They lost while conceding 26 goals in seven games.
The defeat against Lorient came just three days after a 3-0 loss to Porto in the Europa League. The club is at the bottom of the league having lost all five games.
“We are fighting to survive, that’s the reality,” Nice coach Frank Heise said on Sunday. “Fight with those who want to fight. A team only exists if everyone has that desire.”
Maurice pointed to a lack of cohesion within the team after Nice lost a 1-0 lead against Lorient.
“Every time we have a little setback, we can’t recover,” he said. “It proves that we lack the cohesion and perhaps the values to fight in the moment and get results.”
Heise has signed a new two-year contract. Ligue 1 Despite a lackluster start to the season, the club announced in September that they will remain until 2029. Nice lost to Benfica in the third qualifying round and were eliminated from the Champions League, and have struggled to get the season going since then.
Heise, 54, will take charge of Nice in the summer of 2024 and led the Riviera team to fourth place last season.
Nice’s next match is at home against Angers on Sunday.
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