Bundesliga News

Fan Riot Updates:
Frankfurt face spectator bans, PSG fan reportedly involved in Nice disorder

By Peter Weis   @PeterVicey

In the latest news on fan riots taking place during two away games involving Bundesliga clubs playing club tournament matches in France, Eintracht Frankfurt are facing serious consequences for last night's roman-candle-fight in the Marseille stands.

The investigation into last weeks riot in Nice involving traveling supporters from 1. FC Köln, meanwhile, has yielded something rather unexpected. 
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Eintracht Frankfurt's historic first-ever Champions' League win in Marseille last night was marred by unfortunate scenes in the stands showing both fan camps throwing firecrackers and shooting roman candles at one another. Another video showing a Frankfurt fan making a purported Nazi salute made the rounds on social media and has been rumors to be one of the instigators of the exchange.


As UEFA begins its investigation into the matter, the news is not shaping up well for Eintracht. The SGE is already on watch following a pitch invasion last spring at West Ham's Olympic Stadium during the 2021/22 Europa League semifinals. Club board member Philipp Reschke expressed grave concern when speaking to German footballing magazine Kicker on Wednesday.

"We're treading dangerous waters," Reschke noted, "because of our record with UEFA, we are now facing probation status with respect to our  home games and possible consequences for future away games."

Eintracht received a suspended sentence after the scenes in London and will now very likely have to play some spectator-less "ghost games" in the future. The club did wish to emphasize that investigations are still ongoing. Furthermore, the SGE said that a fan claiming to be the one accused of making a Nazi gesture had contacted them to deny the accusations.

Regarding the other incident involving German traveling fans in France, the first patron involved in the riot that delayed Köln's kickoff with ODC Nice at the Riviera has been arraigned in a French court. When reflecting on the incident, Köln sporting director Christian Keller initially claimed that there was some evidence that a supporter involved with neither club had played a part in the escalation.

Keller's statement to that effect was not printed in an article appearing on this website for the reason that it was assumed that Keller, understandably operating under some emotion stress, was conveying unlikely information. As it turns out, the club executive seems to have been at least partially correct.


Keller claimed that some PSG fans had been in attendance masquerading as Köln supporters. Such a scenario smacked of a conspiracy. As reported by the Nice prosecutors office today, however, the person arraigned today was a PSG supporter from the greater Paris area. No additional information is available at this time as to what the fan was doing in Nice or what role he played in instigating the conflict.


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