“Shortly before 8:00 p.m., several VTC vehicles carrying Nice supporters were attacked by FC Nantes supporters” while they were going to the Beaujoire stadium, indicated the public prosecutor of Nantes, Renaud Gaudeul.
“During these events, in circumstances which remain to be determined, a 31-year-old man, a supporter of FC Nantes, collapsed. And “died on the spot“, he added. “Despite the rapid intervention of emergency services, the man could not be saved and died on the spot.“, he emphasizes.
Violence has no place inside or outside of sports venues
Initial information on this tragedy reported that one supporter was only “seriously injured”, as the Nantes club lamented on its X account (ex-Twitter).
“The very first forensic investigations show that the victim has a wound in the back, which could correspond to a bladed weapon.“, elements which will be refined during an autopsy, specifies the Nantes prosecutor.
The public prosecutor’s office opened an investigation for “voluntary homicide”, which was entrusted jointly to the territorial direction of the judicial police and the Loire-Atlantique departmental security. “Numerous witness hearings are underway this evening and will continue into the night.“, underlines Renaud Gaudeul.
According to a source close to the case, the supporter, a member of the Brigade Loire group, received a stab, probably from one of the VTC drivers attacked. According to Ouest France, the attacker went to a police station in the evening.
“All light must be shed on this tragedy“, reacted the first deputy to the city of Nantes Bassem Asseh in a press release. “Violence has no place inside or outside of sports venues“.
FC Nantes in shock
The new coach of FC Nantes, Jocelyn Gourvennec, explained that he had not been warned of the tragedy before the start of the match, won (1-0) by his team.
“I only learned after the match that the Loire Brigade had been affected this evening by our supporter who was stabbed“, said the coach, whose victory against Nice was overshadowed by the aggression. “It was a somewhat particular context, a somewhat particular atmosphere” he said after the match.
“I can’t imagine how you can go to see a football match, sometimes with your family, and be between life and death. It’s inconceivable“, continued Jocelyn Gourvennec before the announcement of the death.
“I don’t know what happened, we don’t have any details, but the players talked about it a lot in the locker room, they were very touched and, obviously we are going to pray for him“, he concluded.
Numerous incidents on the sidelines of Ligue 1 matches this season
The attack on the Nantes supporter follows a series of tensions and incidents that occurred recently on the sidelines of Ligue 1 matches. Last Sunday, two Brest supporters were slightly injured by shards of glass when their bus was targeted by projectiles after their club’s 3-1 victory in Montpellier.
Before the match, the police had to use tear gas and batons to “restore order” when “around a hundred Montpellier supporters, partly hooded and armed with iron bars and batons, sought to fight when the Brest supporters arrive”, according to the Hérault prefecture.
At the end of October, the Olympique Lyonnais bus was stoned before the match against OM at the Stade Vélodrome, injuring Lyon coach Fabio Grosso and his assistant Raffaele Longo.
At least one bus of Lyon supporters was also attacked, the projectiles causing minor injuries, and the match could not take place. It was rescheduled for Marseille on December 6.
The Lyon bus stoned before OM-OL
Credit: Imago