FURIOUS OGC Nice fans invaded the pitch after it was confirmed they will play in the end of season relegation play-off.
The Sir Jim Ratcliffe-owned club face dropping down a division and supporters made their opinions clear as they slumped to a 0-0 draw to rock-bottom club Metz on the Ligue 1 final day.
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OGC Nice fans stormed the pitch to make their feelings known to the ownership
The Nice faithful have lost patience with INEOS Credit: AFP
Ratcliffe, who has significantly cut his asking price as he looks to sell the club, is not a popular figure in Nice.
Ratcliffe bought the club in 2019 but has been unable to transform them into a leading team that would rival Paris Saint-Germain‘s domination in French football.
This season’s woes have sparked immense anger among the club’s faithful.
Fans mobbed the team at the training ground, threw missiles and scuffled with players.
And now they have stormed the pitch as they face a two-legged tie to stay in Ligue 1.
Nice have not been relegated from the French top-flight for nearly 20 years.
Former Leicester City and Southampton manager Claude Puel is the man in charge of the club and is facing the prospect of his first relegation as a manager.
Nice will face St Etienne in a two-legged tie to decide if they go down or stay in the division.
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If they are relegated, Ratcliffe may have to lower his asking price even further.
Fans of the club reportedly feel hard done by, as Ratcliffe’s main focus seems to be Manchester United.
It’s a similar relationship to that of Chelsea ownership group BlueCo and Strasbourg supporters. However, unlike Ratcliffe, Blueco do not want to sell their French club.
Fans of Chelsea and Strasbourg protested against the ownership ahead of the Blues’ clash with Manchester United last month.
Elsewhere in Ligue 1, fans of already-relegated Nantes invaded the pitch in the first half against Toulouse, leading to the game being abandoned and laying France’s hooligan problems bare.
