Nice players attacked after sixth consecutive defeat

Nice and the French league have condemned “unacceptable” acts of fan violence after players and staff were attacked following another disappointing performance from the Riviera this weekend.

After suffering a sixth successive defeat in all competitions on Sunday – 3-1 at Lorient in Ligue 1 – Nice’s players were confronted by a large number of their supporters as they returned to the club’s training and academy centre.

Fans shouted insults and demanded more effort from the team as tensions escalated, with reports of some supporters even boarding the team bus.

“The club understands the frustration caused by the series of poor results and performances that do not meet its values,” Nice said in a statement late on Monday. «However, the incidents that occurred during this meeting are unacceptable. Several members of the club were confronted and attacked. OGC Nice offers them its full support and condemns these actions in the strongest possible terms.»

L’Equipe reported that some players and staff were spat at as they left the bus, and even beaten. Jérémie Boga and Terem Moffi were reportedly attacked most violently, receiving multiple blows, including to the head and groin, while sporting director Florian Maurice was also said to have been attacked.

L’Equipe and RMC reported that Boga and Moffi have been given medical leave. Nice did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.

The French League (LFP) said on Tuesday that the attacks were “completely unacceptable and undermined the integrity of the participants in the game and the values ​​of football.” The LFP added that as a civil party it will join the complaints filed by the players to ensure that the incidents are thoroughly investigated.

“The LFP expresses its full support for the affected players and OGC Nice, and reaffirms its determination to guarantee the safety of all football stakeholders.”

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After 14 rounds, Nice is 10th in the rankings, 14 points behind leader Lens. It has lost seven games and conceded 26 goals.

The defeat to Lorient came just three days after a 3-0 defeat at Porto in the UEFA Europa League. The club is at the bottom of the table and has lost all five matches.

«We are fighting to survive, that is the reality,» Nice coach Franck Haise said on Sunday. «We will fight with those who want to fight. A team only exists if everyone has that desire.»

Maurice pointed out a lack of cohesion within the team after Nice let a 1-0 lead slip against Lorient.

“Every time there’s a little setback, we can’t recover from it,” he said. “That proves that at some point we lack the cohesion and perhaps the values ​​to fight and achieve results.”

In Lorient, several Nice players approached their traveling supporters for an impromptu discussion.

«I know you travel thousands of kilometers for us and I am grateful for that. But I swear, we will give our maximum,» midfielder Sofiane Diop said on the field. “We’re rubbish now, we know that.”

Haise signed a new two-year contract with the Ligue 1 club until 2029 in September, despite a poor start to the season. Nice were knocked out of the Champions League after losing to Benfica in the third qualifying round and have struggled to get their season going since.

Haise, 54, took over Nice in the summer of 2024 and led the Riviera team to a fourth-place finish last season.

Nice next confrontation with Angers at home on Sunday.

Published on December 2, 2025