Nice fans’ fury boils over: Players attacked after sixth straight loss

Nice’s Sanson and Abdi react after the loss in Porto for Europa League

Nice and the French league have condemned “unacceptable” acts of fan violence after players and staff were attacked following another disappointing performance by the Riviera side over the weekend.

After suffering a sixth consecutive loss across all competitions on Sunday — 3-1 at Lorient in Ligue 1 — Nice players were confronted by a large number of their supporters when they returned to the club’s training and academy center.

Fans shouted insults and demanded greater commitment from the squad as tensions escalated, with reports that some supporters even boarded the team bus.

“The club understands the frustration caused by the series of poor results and performances that fall short of its values,” Nice said in a statement late Monday. “However, the incidents that occurred during this gathering are unacceptable. Several members of the club were confronted and targeted. OGC Nice offers them its full support and condemns these actions in the strongest possible terms.”

L’Equipe reported some players and staff were spat on when they exited the bus, and even punched. Jérémie Boga and Terem Moffi were reportedly the most violently attacked, taking multiple blows, including to the head and groin, while sporting director Florian Maurice was also said to be assaulted.

L’Equipe and RMC reported that Boga and Moffi have been given medical leave. Nice did not immediately respond to a request for comments from The Associated Press.

The French league (LFP) said yesterday that the assaults were “completely unacceptable, undermining the integrity of the participants in the game and the values of football.” The LFP added it will join as a civil party in the complaints filed by the players to ensure that the incidents are thoroughly investigated.

“The LFP expresses its full support for the affected players and OGC Nice, and reaffirms its determination to guarantee the safety of all football stakeholders.”

After 14 rounds, Nice sits 10th in the table, 14 points behind leader Lens. It has lost seven matches while conceding 26 goals.

The loss against Lorient came just three days after a 3-0 defeat at Porto in the Europa League. The club is bottom of the league phase table, having lost all five of its matches.

“We’re fighting for survival, that’s the reality,” Nice coach Franck Haise said on Sunday. “We’ll fight with those who want to fight. A team exists only when everyone has that desire.”

Maurice pointed to a lack of cohesion within the team after Nice let a 1-0 lead slip against Lorient.

“Every time there’s a slight setback we can’t recover,” he said. “That proves that we lack cohesion, perhaps values, at a given moment, to fight and go and get results.”

In Lorient, several Nice players approached their traveling supporters for an impromptu discussion.

“I know you travel thousands of kilometers for us and I thank you for that. But, I swear, we’re giving our maximum,” midfielder Sofiane Diop told them on the pitch. “We are rubbish right now, we know it.”

Haise signed a new two-year deal with the Ligue 1 club in September until 2029 despite a lackluster start to the season. Nice was knocked out of the Champions League after losing to Benfica in the third qualifying round and has since struggled to get its campaign going.

The 54-year-old Haise took over Nice during the 2024 summer and led the Riviera team to a fourth-place finish last season.

Nice’s next faces Angers at home on Sunday. SAMUEL PETREQUIN, PARIS, MDT/AP