Fans storm field, throw flares at players after French team’s relegation

Fans storm field, throw flares at players after French team’s relegation
# 30 May 2022 08:30 (UTC +04:00)

In the latest episode of fan violence in French soccer, supporters of Saint-Etienne stormed the field Sunday and attacked players with flares immediately after a loss that relegated the once-mighty club out of Ligue, APA reports citing The Washington Port.

Saint-Etienne was hosting Auxerre at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in the second leg of a relegation/promotion playoff that went to penalty kicks following a 2-2 draw on aggregate. After Auxerre goalkeeper Donovan Léon made a save on Ryad Boudebouz, Birama Touré converted a penalty to win the shootout, 5-4, for Auxerre and move that club into Ligue 1.

Touré and his teammates had barely begun to celebrate when a large number of Saint-Etienne fans ran onto the pitch. Saint-Etienne players hurried to the locker room tunnel, but some appeared to be injured before they could make it to safety. Police reportedly used tear gas to push fans off the field.

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