Furious Nantes fans throw flares outside the club’s ground in protest against President Waldemar Kita before RIOT POLICE let off tear gas to break up the ugly scenes ahead of their Ligue 1 clash with Dijon
- A large group of Nantes fans protested against their owner outside the stadium
- Police were summoned to break up Sunday’s demonstrations and used tear gas
- The fans were protesting against Waldemar Kita for poor club mismanagement
- France is still in a strict lockdown which comes to an end on Tuesday
Riot police in France were summoned break up Nantes supporters in a protest against their club’s owner Waldemar Kita for continued mismanagement of the club.
Around 300 supporters protested outside the club’s stadium on Sunday ahead of Nantes’ Ligue 1 match with Dijon this afternoon.
In a demonstration described as ‘spontaneous but popular’, fans let off flares oustide as they showed their disapproval towards the club’s owner, with the police using tear gas to disperse the crowds.
A large group of FC Nantes supporters rioted against their own president on Sunday afternoon
Nantes owner Waldemar Kita (above) has been blamed by the fans for the club’s poor form
The police had managed to calm the situation by the time the Nantes team bus at around 1pm local time for the Dijon match, which went ahead at 3pm as planned.
France are still in a strict lockdown with supporters banned from stadiums until the foreseeable future. While the national lockdown comes to an end on Tuesday, hospitality venues such as cinemas and theatres will not be allowed to open.
President Kita has been blamed by the supporters for the club’s poor form in the league, after Nantes sacked coach Christian Gourcuff this week.
After their 1-1 draw with Dijon on Sunday, the club are lying in 14th place and sit just three points above the relegation zone.
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The supporters congregated outside the club’s stadium ahead of their Ligue 1 match with Dijon
Police used tear gas to break up the supporters – with France still under a strict lockdown
The Nantes president confirmed that he is prepared to leave the club but does not want to leave
On Sunday Kita said, via L’Equipe,: ‘I’m ready to leave. I’m not hanging on. On the other hand, I’m trying not to leave the club in the s***. There must not be any problems afterwards.
However, Kita contradicted himself in the interview by saying that he doesn’t want to give up his control of the club, but accepted the Nantes supporters’ frustrations.
He added: ‘We must not not believe that I want to leave. They (the fans) want my head.
The scenes turned violent but police managed to disperse the crowd at around 1pm local time
‘But I don’t mind that they can have it. It’s not a problem that they are assuming (things). (But) those who assume…’
Kita has been the target of Nantes supporters’ frustrations for several years. In 2016, a section of the club’s supporters tried to invade the president’s private box after a home match against Toulouse.
Nantes are eight-time French champions but have been unable to rediscover the glory achieved earlier in their history.
Kita has sacked six managers in the past four years – including former Chelsea and Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri in the summer of 2018 – with Nantes’ last league title coming in 2001.
Kita admitted that he is prepared to leave the club after he sacked Christian Gourcuff this week
Inside the stadium, Nantes drew 1-1 with Dijon to move up to 14th in the Ligue 1 table
