Colin Abgrall
modified to
10:23 a.m., March 18, 2022
This weekend, 60,000 Marseillais are expected at the Vélodrome stadium for the Sunday evening match in Ligue 1, the Olympique de Marseille-OGC Nice clash. There will be a lot of OM supporters, however, no Niçois will be celebrating, as agreed by a prefectural decree put in place on Wednesday. Exclusively for Europe 1, at the microphone of Jacques Vendroux, the president of Nice Jean-Pierre Rivère reacts to this decision and intends to try to “find solutions.”
It’s a final-like match for second place in the French championship. Ten days from the end, Olympique de Marseille and OGC Nice are in perfect equality, with 50 points. A more than decisive meeting for the podium and in the race for the qualifying place in the Champions League, without forgetting that teams like Rennes and Strasbourg are in ambush. For this shock, only OM supporters will take place in the Vélodrome, those of Nice having been banned from moving by the Bouches-du-Rhône police headquarters to avoid any risk of overflow. At the microphone of Europe 1, the president of Nice, Jean-Pierre Rivère, “understands the position of the prefecture.”
“They need to live these moments”
The prefectural decision is rather logical. On the third day of the championship, August 22. OM player Dimitri Payet was hit in the head by a bottle and he responded by sending the same bottle back into the stands of the Allianz Riviera. Determined to do battle with the Marseille players, the Nice supporters then invaded the field, in what will remain one of the saddest scenes in the French championship. The match was canceled and then postponed.
So, for the return match, OGC Nice fans will not be able to move. A decision to which reacts exclusively Jean-Pierre Rivère, president of the Riviera club: “We would have liked them to participate in this party. I can understand the authorities on certain aspects but it is true that it is a little frustrating,” he admits. “Whether it’s a wise solution, I understand it. I understand the position of the prefecture. It’s a shame that we can’t have trips with supporters, whether from Nice or elsewhere. “We are seeing more and more bans. We will have to find solutions to allow everyone to experience the celebration of football, whether at home or away.”
60,000 people expected at the Velodrome
This decision nevertheless benefits Olympique de Marseille. The Marseille club has obtained the agreement of the Professional Football League to sell the places normally occupied by opposing supporters, which will allow the Vélodrome stadium to accommodate 60,000 fans. The biggest attendance of the season for, perhaps, the most important match of their season.