MONTPELIER, FRANCE – Bottomside Montpellier and fellow fighter Saint-Etienne's French league match was abandoned Sunday when a fire broke out in the stands after the flare was thrown by home fans.
Montpellier followed 2-0 after Lucas Stassin scored twice for the visitors when Lucas Stassin was stopped by referee François Letexa in the 63rd minute.
TV footage showed black smoke coming out of the fire. Local media reported that a person lying on the ground behind the finish line had been evacuated.
Players from both teams were sent back to the locker room, with some Montpellier fans smashing seats in the stands. The fire has disappeared, but the game has not started again for security reasons, and Montpellier may now face a heavy penalty.
In the club's 50th anniversary season, Montpellier sits on the bottom of the rocks in French league standings. Saint-Etienne is just one spot above 17th place.
In 2023, the French league match between Montpellier and Clermont was abandoned after fireworks thrown from the stands landed next to Clermont goalkeeper Mori Diaw.
Montpellier won the only title in the French league in 2012, which disrupted Paris Saint-Germain.
The club also won the second division in 1987 and the French Cup in 1990, along with teams featuring Eric Cantona, Laurent Blanc and Giulio Cesar.
However, Montpellier's ambitions this season have been severely hampered by a massive decline in television rights revenue, preventing the club from securing planned reinforcements.
Supporters of Saint-Etienne were banned from traveling to Montpellier by French authorities due to the high risk of violence.
