The Europa Conference League match between Nice and Cologne started almost an hour late after chaotic crowds erupted in the stands at the Allianz Riviera stadium in southern France and left one person in serious care on Thursday. .
Executive body UEFA said the match was “delayed due to crowd disturbance”, later adding that it would begin at 19:40 local time (1740 GMT) after television footage showed people Support the German team towards the home fans and throw flares.
Police intervened, but the players still hadn’t started warming up just before the game at 6:45 p.m. local time.
Local authorities say a male Paris Saint-Germain fan is in critical care with head and chest injuries after falling from the stands and injuring 17 others.
“OGC Nice condemns as strongly as possible the incidents that took place prior to the match, starting with the damage in the city, followed by the forced entry of dozens of thugs from the Cologne supporters zone into the stadium. presidential stands,” the French club said in a statement.
“Shocked by this outbreak of violence, although they have done everything to welcome FC Cologne fans in the best possible conditions, OGC Nice expresses its condolences to the Nice public, who have witnessed and was a victim of these incidents and were forced to wait almost 45 minutes before being allowed into their stadium before kick-off.
The German club said it “condemns all forms of violence in the strongest possible terms. We support an act of sport, fairness and mutual respect. We apologize to all those involved. moderate fans who have turned it into a football festival up to this point.”
French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera said: “I’m fed up. I’m really fed up that our sport is being smeared in this way, that we can no longer say we’re going to a stadium with our children in a serene and safe way.”
Cologne captain Jonas Hector addressed the crowd via the PA system.
“We really want to play the game with you. We also want that game to happen. But we have to say we don’t like to see this,” he said.
“We worked hard last year and in the playoffs. And we’d love to do this with you and we ask that you stay calm and support us as much as you can.”
The final match was played and ended in a 1-1 draw.
