Claude Puel screams and brandishes his fist in the air.
In an electric atmosphere, Mickaël Nadé has just equalized in the 94th minute against Angers (2-2).
A few whistles escaped from the stands but Saint-Etienne showed a lot of character in a context of extreme tension.
This Friday evening, we may have witnessed a mini-reconciliation with his audience and Puel undoubtedly offered himself a little reprieve.
"We showed that we wanted, the supporters pushed us," said Mady Camara while some ultras shouted with stewards.
The evening ends at least on a positive note after starting out in chaos.
We suspected that the context of this meeting with this team of Saint-Etienne, red lantern of L1 with zero victory, would be explosive against the backdrop of the sling of Saint-Etienne supporters.
They put pressure on Claude Puel on Thursday.
"We give you 24 hours to resign," had written on a banner the three main groups of ultras.
The wrath of the green people
But just before the kick-off, the anger of the green people had taken a new step.
.
After chanting "Puel resignation", "resignation direction" and "we want a team worthy of its audience", the ultras fired smoke in abundance on the lawn, despite a large deployment of security forces.
The smoke has burned parts of the lawn and the goal nets.
Some ultras then try to enter the lawn but are prevented by the police.
If the players continued to warm up on the field, referee Anthony Gautier quickly decided to send them back to the locker room, believing that their safety was not guaranteed.
Nets to repair
While long meetings begin in the spans of Geoffroy-Guichard, things are also agitated on the ground.
The stadium's maintenance services are trying to repair the nets of the two goals, burnt by smoke, with clamps.
An operation that took about twenty minutes.
During this time, the delegates of the LFP and the leaders of Saint-Etienne are in contact with the prefecture to make a decision on the holding or not of the match.
If the prefect finally gives his agreement for a resumption, a message is broadcast in the stadium, warning that in the slightest incident, he will then be definitively arrested.
It was 10 p.m., one hour behind schedule, when the kick-off was finally given.
In the stands, it rumbled and whistled.
But fortunately, without new serious outbursts.
The Greens led 2-0
For a long time, it was believed that the Greens' Stations of the Cross would continue on the ground.
But led 2-0 after goals from Traoré (28th) and Fulgini (56th), Saint-Etienne found the resources to return thanks to Khazri (61st) and therefore Nadé (90th + 4).
A small release even if the tension remains high.