Invited to speak at a press conference after the extremely serious events that took place on Sunday evening during the match between OGC Nice and Olympique de Marseille, while dozens of Gym supporters wanted to invade the lawn to s’ physically attack OM players after Payet sent them back a projectile he had just received in the back, President Jean-Pierre Rivère gave a speech that was surprising to say the least.
“It’s a disappointment that the game ends like this. Obviously, everyone saw what happened, the images are quite clear. We had water bottle throws, that we can not effectively dispute, we were able to see them. Unfortunately, what ignited the powder was the reaction of two Marseille players to reject these bottles, or other bottles, through the platform of our supporters, pointed out the boss of the Aiglons. Then afterwards, it was a bit chained what I deplore and regret … I think that the Marseille security service does not have to intervene on the ground and especially hit our players. Two players were hit. But that’s not the debate. “
“I think that the security of Olympique de Marseille does not have to intervene on the field and especially to hit our players, two of our players have been hit”
In a press conference, the president of OGC Nice charges the Olympique de Marseille #OGCNOM pic.twitter.com/mzRcKMOka2
– the L’Équipe channel (@lachainelequipe) August 22, 2021
Rivère does not understand the decision of the Marseillais
If an investigation by the disciplinary committee of the LFP will be tasked in the coming days to shed light on the responsibilities, certainly multiple, which led to a football match turning into a rat race in mondovision, Note all the same that Jean-Pierre Rivère seems to ignore those of some of his supporters who have come down to the lawn to attack Marseille players. In the general brawl that subsequently broke out, it would indeed seem – in view of the pictures posted by OM on Sunday evening – that Olympian players were also physically affected.
The president of OGC Nice continued his intervention at a press conference by questioning the decision of Marseille players, staff and leaders not to return to the pitch, considering for his part “that the match could have resumed” . “I was convinced that it would go very well”, he repeated after having already made the same speech from the field at the microphone of Prime Video, without one knowing very well how he could be so optimistic and categorical.
“What is clear is that everyone has decided to resume the game. The prefect asked to resume the match. The officials of the security service said “frankly for us there is no problem in resuming the match” and there, I did not quite understand the decision of our Marseille colleagues not to want to resume the match. They were advised to resume the match, there were fifteen minutes left. (…). Unfortunately the Marseillais did not wish to resume the match. Of which act. “
“The referee was with us”, maintains Pablo Longoria
For Pablo Longoria, it was Sunday to mark the occasion once and for all after the events already occurred at La Mosson during the Montpellier-Marseille match in early August. “We decided not to resume the game for the safety of our players. It’s already the second time, we experienced it in Montpellier, we decided to resume there. What happened today is completely unacceptable. We must set precedents for French football, ”explained the Spaniard at RMC Sport’s microphone.
According to him, the Marseillais were not the only Sunday evening to doubt that the match could resume under satisfactory security conditions. “The referee was with us, he confirmed to Jorge Sampaoli and me that safety was not guaranteed. His decision was to stop the match, he said. But the League decided, for a matter of public order, to resume the match. This is not acceptable for us, that’s why we decided not to resume the match and to return to Marseille tonight. “