Fans of Nice, a French Ligue 1 club, have been widely condemned by the team after players and staff were subjected to verbal abuse and physical harassment upon their return home following a 3-1 defeat at Lorient.
According to witnesses, around 400 fans blocked the bus carrying the players and staff, lit flares, chanted hostile songs, and heckled those on board in an incident that lasted about 45 minutes. Ivory Coast forward Jeremie Boga, who has been on medical leave since Monday due to the confrontation, is among those targeted.
In a statement, Nice has condemned the incidents as "unacceptable" and expressed its full support for the affected club members. The team's president, Fabrice Bocquet, was not present at the time of the incident, but coach Franck Haise attempted to engage with fans on the bus.
The confrontation follows Nice's sixth consecutive defeat in all competitions, which has left the club 10th in Ligue 1 with just 17 points from 14 games. The team next hosts Angers on Sunday.
Fans blocking the bus and harassing players is extremely unacceptable behavior. The actions of a small group of fans can have serious consequences for the individuals targeted, as well as damaging the reputation of the club as a whole.
According to witnesses, around 400 fans blocked the bus carrying the players and staff, lit flares, chanted hostile songs, and heckled those on board in an incident that lasted about 45 minutes. Ivory Coast forward Jeremie Boga, who has been on medical leave since Monday due to the confrontation, is among those targeted.
In a statement, Nice has condemned the incidents as "unacceptable" and expressed its full support for the affected club members. The team's president, Fabrice Bocquet, was not present at the time of the incident, but coach Franck Haise attempted to engage with fans on the bus.
The confrontation follows Nice's sixth consecutive defeat in all competitions, which has left the club 10th in Ligue 1 with just 17 points from 14 games. The team next hosts Angers on Sunday.
Fans blocking the bus and harassing players is extremely unacceptable behavior. The actions of a small group of fans can have serious consequences for the individuals targeted, as well as damaging the reputation of the club as a whole.
I'm literally shaking with anger thinking about those poor Nice players being treated like that after a game... 400 fans blocking their bus and harassing them?!?! That's just not right, ever! 
. Can we please be more understanding and supportive towards our sports teams like this? 
. Fans should be supporting each other, not tearing each other down. Let's show some respect, even when our teams aren't doing well 
. The players and staff of Nice deserve better than to be treated like that 
.
It's like they're trying to make an example out of those players who got beat by Lorient. And for what? A 3-1 loss? That's not even a bad beating... it's still football, you know? 
! Fans think they can just behave like that to the players and staff? Like, what's next? Getting physical with the ref? It's crazy how some people can't even control themselves during a game. I feel bad for Jeremie Boga, he was already dealing with an injury and then this... 
The team's already having a tough time on the pitch, but this just makes things worse. I feel so sorry for Jeremie Boga, he sounds like a really nice guy too... Medical leave due to fan abuse is just ridiculous 
400 people blocking their bus is just crazy! and setting flares? like what kinda sick person does that?! 
I'm so bummed to hear about this 
️ coach Franck Haise was trying to be calm and respectful, but it's not his fault the team had a bad day 
can't even respect the players' space 
Nice needs to do better with their fan support tho 
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that's crazy! Imagine being on a bus with your teammates after a tough loss and having to deal with all that harassment. It's not just about the players, it's also about the staff who are trying to support them. The fact that a small group of fans can ruin the experience for so many people is really sad 
. I mean, you win or lose, it's time to move on, not take it out on others. These players are human beings, they got feelings too 
. The club's already takin' responsibility, so why can't some fans just chill? 
1.2 avg goals scored per game! 
but 400 fans showed up to cause trouble? 
That's like a whole stadium full of negativity! 
The stats on player safety are pretty scary too: since Jan 2020, 34 players have been targeted by fan abuse... 
. It's concerning to see that only 22% of fans felt safe while watching the game 
. This incident has led to a 35% decline in fan engagement on social media, with many supporters expressing disappointment and frustration 
It's not okay, period 
.