"Human bullshit has no limit, I am scandalized..." It is with these words that Antoine Kombouaré, the Nantes coach, questioned in the mixed zone after the Canaries' victory against Rennes (2-1) in the Wednesday evening, commented on the nauseating chants of Nice supporters during the Nice - Saint-Étienne match (4-2), a little earlier at the Allianz Riviera on Wednesday evening.
In reference to the unfortunate Emiliano Sala who died in January 2019, at the age of 28 (when the private plane which brought him back to Cardiff, where he had just been transferred for 17 million euros, crashed into the Channel), a fringe of Nice supporters, probably made bitter by the defeat in the final of the Coupe de France on Saturday, sang a song maliciously mocking the Argentinian.
"He's an Argentinian who doesn't swim well, Emiliano underwater", sang part of the Nice public around the 9th minute, parodying the song ("He's an Argentinian, he doesn't let go, Emiliano Sala”) that the Nantes supporters sing at each match at this minute.
“These guys don't belong in a stadium.
They should be banned, really, added Kombouaré.
It is shameful.
I feel sorry for Emiliano's family.
I knew that the supporters could be violent, idiots, but there… ”
📃 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲́ 𝗱𝘂 @FCNantes
– FC Nantes (@FCNantes) May 11, 2022
For its part, the Nice club condemned "with the greatest firmness" Wednesday evening the singing of its supporters.
OGC Nice "does not recognize its values or those of the entire red and black family in this unthinkable and abject provocation of a minority of its supporters", explained the club in a press release, bringing "its support for the family and loved ones of Emiliano Sala".
Christophe Galtier for his part "apologized to the family of Emiliano Sala and to FC Nantes, on behalf of (his) players, technical and medical staff".
“I have no words to describe what we heard.
Upon returning to the locker room, there were no cries, no joy… But amazement, he added.
You can hear a lot of things in a football stadium.
But where do insults against a deceased footballer come from?
They came from a few people, but they weren't just three.
Let them stay at home with their bottles and their insults.
If this is our society, we are in deep shit…”
Usually, it is not uncommon for opposing supporters to join in the chant in tribute to the former N.9.
The Nantes people sang it on Saturday at the Stade de France during the Coupe de France final won 1-0 by the Canaries in front of the Aiglons.
On Wednesday, the Nice public also launched insults towards Stéphanie Frappart, the referee of the final, guilty in their eyes of having awarded an imaginary penalty to the Nantes people.