Sunday\u2019s highly-anticipated top-flight French derby between Nice and Marseille had to be abandoned after the latter\u2019s ultras threw missiles and invaded the pitch.<\/p>\n
Before the match came to a standstill in the 75th<\/sup> minute, Marseille\u2019s Dimitri Payet was hit by a bottle and angrily responded by throwing it back into the crowd, prompting fans to storm the pitch as stewards and players struggled to restrain them. The chaos escalated as the players tried to leave the pitch, with scuffles breaking out and enraged Marseille coach Jorge Sampaoli having to be restrained by his staff.<\/p>\n After a protracted delay, Nice\u2019s players came out to finish the game \u2013 but Marseille\u2019s players were reluctant to resume.\u00a0Play was held up for 90 minutes before the game was declared abandoned\u00a0with Nice leading 1-0 at the time through Kasper Dolberg\u2019s first-half goal.<\/p>\n \u201cOur players were attacked,\u201d said Marseille president Pablo Longoria. \u201cWe decided not to resume the match because the safety of our players was not guaranteed.\u201d<\/p>\n The incident came just two weeks after Marseille\u2019s opening 3-2 win at Montpellier when fans pelted the pitch with bottles. That game was halted in the 89th minute after Marseille substitute Valentin Rongier was hit on the head. Montpellier\u2019s Florent Mollet was also hit as he prepared to take a corner.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the second time it\u2019s happened,\u201d added Longoria. \u201cWe have already experienced this in Montpellier where we decided to continue after the decision to carry on was made.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened today is unacceptable. We must make it a precedent for French football and that\u2019s why we decided to return to Marseille.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"