“Don’t make it worse”
Goalkeeper “traumatized”: game abandoned in France
October 8, 2023, 8:03 p.m
There is a serious incident in the French Ligue 1: During stoppage time in the game between Montpellier HSC and Clermont Foot, a firecracker explodes right next to the visiting goalkeeper and the game is abandoned.
In the French football league, the game between Montpellier HSC and Clermont Foot was canceled after a firecracker exploded in the immediate vicinity of visiting goalkeeper Mory Diaw. The Clermont keeper fell to the ground in the incident in the first minute of added time, was treated on the pitch and eventually taken away on a stretcher. Montpellier was 4-2 ahead at the time. Clermont defender Neto Borges was then shown a red card for giving the Montpellier fans the middle finger.
The discussions between the referee and the officials lasted around 40 minutes before the decision to abandon the game was made: The referee stopped the game after consulting with the Clermont club doctor because Diaw was severely traumatized, Montpellier’s security chief said on the stadium microphone with the viewers. It is “the first time in 40 years that I have been confronted with a situation like this. This has never happened to us before. I therefore ask you not to make things worse. You cannot imagine the damage the club is suffering.” . The club is now in danger of losing the three secure points at the green table. According to broadcaster RMC, the person who threw the firecrackers was arrested.
Spectator scandals have been increasing in France recently. At the top game between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Marseille, PSG fans recently caused a scandal with homophobic chants. And traditional club Girondins Bordeaux had a fan attack against an opposing player in the last game of the season against Rodez, including the abandonment of the game, which cost them possible promotion to Ligue 1.