Nice vs. Marseille Suspended After Fans Throw Bottles at Dimitri Payet, Invade Pitch

Joseph Zucker @@JosephZuckerFeatured Columnist IVAugust 22, 2021

Fans try to invade the pitch during the French L1 football match between OGC Nice and Olympique de Marseille (OM) at the Allianz Riviera stadium in Nice, southern France on August 22, 2021. - The French Ligue 1 game between Nice and Marseille was halted on August 22, 2021, when fans of the home side invaded the pitch and angrily confronted opposing player Dimitri Payet. An AFP journalist at the game said trouble flared in the 75th minute when Marseille star Payet, who had been targeted by plastic bottles every time he took a corner, lobbed one back into the stands. (Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP) (Photo by VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images)

VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images

Sunday's Ligue 1 match between Nice and Marseille was halted in the 76th minute after supporters invaded the pitch at Allianz Riviera.

According to French journalist Julien Laurens, the referee attempted to restart the match from the point at which it stopped. While Nice players were on the pitch and ready to play, Marseille's players never reemerged from the tunnel.

As a result, Nice were awarded a 3-0 victory.

The drama began after a supporter threw a bottle at Marseille star Dimitri Payet. Payet threw the bottle back into the stands, at which point things escalated:

beIN SPORTS USA @beINSPORTSUSA
💥 THIS IS MADNESS! 🤯 THE FANS INVADED THE PITCH! 😰<br><br>Nice fans ran on to the pitch during the OGC Nice-Marseille match.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OGCNOM?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OGCNOM</a> <a href="https://t.co/BKGxprGN53">pic.twitter.com/BKGxprGN53</a>

News of injuries to Marseille players began surfacing on social media:

Get French Football News @GFFN
Matteo Guendouzi & Luan Peres with strangle marks on their necks. (RMC) <a href="https://t.co/oDvvspK5OB">pic.twitter.com/oDvvspK5OB</a>

Nice led 1-0 thanks to a goal from Kasper Dolberg in the 49th minute. Marseille earned a corner to potentially find an equalizer preceding the melee.

Marseille opened its season with a 3-2 win over Montpellier before drawing 2-2 with Bordeaux. Nice drew 0-0 with Reims in the opening week before hammering Lille 4-0 in its second match.

The clubs are scheduled to meet again March 20 at Stade Velodrome.

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