There’s been more fan trouble in Ligue 1, with Lens and Lille fans clashing at the Estadio Bollaert-Delelis this evening.
French football was making the headlines across the world three weeks ago after Nice and Marseille fans were involved in violent clashes with players and staff from both teams.
Unfortunately the disgraceful scenes that were on show were not enough of a deterrent for fans from behaving in a similarly disgraceful manner tonight.
Lens vs Lille was disrupted by tension between the two sets of fans boiling over, which required the intervention of riot police to nip it in the bud.
The Lens-Lille incidents summarised (via RMC):
– Tension between fans in the away end and Lens supporters, seats thrown.
– Lens supporters from another stand pour onto the pitch to confront the away end.
– Riot police intervene, 2 injured – one supporter and one from police.— Get French Football News (@GFFN) September 18, 2021
Lens fans stormed the pitch to confront Lille fans at halftime of their Ligue 1 match.
The game resumed after they were separated by police ? pic.twitter.com/zsO4iSZ2gV
— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 18, 2021
MORE: Marseille staff member punches Nice fan during extraordinary Ligue 1 brawl
Rivalry between opposition fanbases is not a problem – it should be encouraged as a means to bring character and an added flavour to the game of football.
However, when it gets to the point where fans feel inclined to get violent, with police having to get involved, it’s pretty clear that we have overstepped the mark.
French football has a problem right now, with two instances of fan violence happening on the field of play within a month.
The league’s authorities need to stamp it out at the source.