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Picture Credit: Twitter

The French Ligue 1 has raised a lot of eyebrows recently as the fans continue to behave unprofessionally. The French league (PFL) has come up with a verdict after things got out of control during the Nice vs Marseille clash. The home team has been handed a stadium ban while Marseille, who had to face a backlash from fans for the second time in the tournament, have got their physio suspended.

Nice were ordered to play their next home game behind closed doors. This means that no spectators will be allowed inside the stadium Allianz Riviera for their Saturday's game against Bordeaux. For the other team, who was on the receiving end of things, their physical trainer Pablo Fernandez was suspended "from all official duties" as a precaution after he was accused of hitting a supporter.

Meanwhile, a Nice supporter, who was accused of aiming a kick at Payet, was to appear in court. “He will be presented to the court at the end of his police custody for ‘unlawful intrusion on the playing area disturbing a sporting event’ and ‘voluntary violence and gatherings’,” said the deputy public prosecutor Jean- Philippe Navarre.

What exactly happened?

The Ligue 1 game between Nice and Marseille was progressing well until the home crowd started pelting bottles at Marseille players. The drama started in the 75th minute when Dmitri Payet, who had been targeted by plastic bottles every time he took a corner, threw one back at the Nice fans. The angry Nice fans did not like it and clambered onto the pitch confronting and threatening Payet. In no time, the pitch invasion turned into an ugly mass brawl between the players, supporters, and staff.

The match had to be abandoned later as Marseille refused to go back on the field. The Marseille president said that they were reluctant to take the field as the safety of their players wasn't guaranteed. “The league wanted the match to restart. We decided for the safety of our players, who were attacked during the pitch invasion, not to resume because the safety of our players was not guaranteed,” said Pablo Longoria.

After this unfortunate incident, the PFL has said that further measures are likely to be announced regarding more sanctions as well as the fate of the game itself.