The final evening of FC Nantes in Ligue 1 turned into chaos. Facing Toulouse FC on Sunday night during the 34th matchday, the Canaries saw their game permanently interrupted after serious incidents in the stands and a pitch invasion at Beaujoire.
A disaster from start to finish: FC Nantes’ season was already doomed to be forgotten, but its conclusion will also be very sad. While the Canaries, second-to-last and already relegated to Ligue 2, bid farewell to the elite on Sunday in front of a disillusioned crowd, and Vahid Halilhodžić – honored before the match – finalized his career on the sidelines, the Brigade Loire decided that this game against Toulouse would not continue. Thus, the Nantes ultras, wearing white balaclavas, descended from their stand around the 22nd minute, invading the field throwing smoke bombs – black, like a funereal symbol – and other projectiles. A very undiplomatic way to criticize FCN’s disastrous season, but also once again point the finger at the club’s management by the Kita family – father Waldemar, owner and president, and son Franck, general manager.
The 22 players immediately headed to the tunnel, and never came back out: after a crisis meeting and a long wait, referee Stéphanie Frappart announced that this match, which until then had only provided one clear chance for each side (Santiago Hidalgo on Anthony Lopes in the 12th minute, Rémy Cabella on Guillaume Restes in the 16th), would not resume for security reasons, despite the situation calming down in the meantime. And this will likely be the last image we see of FC Nantes in Ligue 1, before a hypothetical comeback in the years to come. The Violets, on the other hand, should be awarded the three points, as they had little left to play for in this final matchday. Like in 2007, Beaujoire bids farewell to Ligue 1 against Toulouse, with a pitch invasion and a halted match. And the most inconsolable will undoubtedly be coach Vahid, who tried to negotiate with the invaders in vain, before leaving the scene with head down and eyes teary.
