Ligue 1 game abandoned over firecracker thrown at goalkeeper

The game between Montpellier and Clermont in Ligue 1 was abandoned on Sunday after a firecracker was thrown at visiting (Clermont) goalkeeper Mory Diaw.

Television pictures showed a firecracker landing next to the feet of Diaw and exploding with a loud bang, just as the match was entering stoppage time.

A clearly stunned Diaw went down and needed treatment before being stretchered off, as the game was halted before being abandoned following a crisis meeting.

“The doctor who examined the Clermont goalkeeper certified that he was not in a condition to return to the field. The match is therefore halted definitively,” referee Florent Batta told reporters at the stadium.

Montpellier were leading 4-2 and on course for their first home win of the season until the incident, and now risk serious punishment with the prospect of having to replay the game without their fans at the very least.

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A police spokesman added that the suspected perpetrator had been arrested.

Diaw was able to return to Clermont with his teammates after the game and was due to undergo further tests on Monday, the club said.

“We are disgusted, disappointed, and sad,” said Montpellier President, Laurent Nicollin, as he complained that the actions of one individual “could penalise the whole team”.

Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) bounced back from their heavy Champions League loss at Newcastle United to beat Rennes 3-1 in Ligue 1 on Sunday.

PSG were thrashed 4-1 in Newcastle on Wednesday, a result and a performance which raised serious doubts about their prospects in Europe this season.

But they returned to form against Rennes at a ground where they have regularly struggled in recent years, recording a win which lifts them up to third in the table, two points behind leaders Monaco.

The Star