A defeat (1-2) at the Vélodrome with in particular a sumptuous second goal scored by Dimitri Payet. This is the result of PAOK Salonika’s trip to Marseille on Thursday evening in the quarter-final first leg of the Europa League Conference. But just after, during the traditional post-match press conference, Razvan Lucescu, the coach of the Greek club wanted above all to remember the incidents having opposed the supporters of the two camps before the meeting.
“There is no doubt that OM are the favourites, but there is still a second game and it will not be easy for them, he begins before focusing on non-sporting matters. In the return match, I hope that Marseille will be received as we have been received here. I am very disappointed with what I saw. It’s a very bad image for the city of Marseille. There is a lot of violence in the world today, there is no need to have it in football. Better your fans don’t come to us. »
While Razvan Lucescu spoke, the Greek supporters were always parked in the stands in order to isolate them, for their safety, from the rest of the public. Because before the match, several smoke bombs were thrown from one camp to the other, above the safety nets. Marseille supporters also launched fireworks in the direction of the Greek parking lot and very strong explosions of firecrackers sounded. A few pieces of seats were also thrown.
10 arrests, around 30 police officers injured
A brief crowd movement took place at the bottom of the bend and the police intervened with tear gas in the direction of the Greek fans. The stadium announcer had made a call explaining that the match might not start.
The Bouches-du-Rhône police headquarters reported the arrest of ten people in all, a Greek for attempting to introduce smoke bombs and nine from Marseille, three for violence against a person holding public authority, four for attempt to introduce smoke bombs and two for throwing projectiles. The stadium announcer appealed for calm, warning that the match might not start.
Still according to the police headquarters, “about thirty police officers were injured, mainly by throwing various projectiles, smoke bombs and agricultural bombs in the stadium when they intervened between the visitors’ stand and the north bend to avoid clashes” .
“There are 27 minor injuries among the CRS and four are a little more seriously affected, two of whom have been evacuated,” said the prefecture.