Nice 1 Montpellier 0

Yesterday I went to the Allianz Riviera stadium to watch Nice v Montpellier and rather wish I had not. The stadium, like the Allianz arena of Bayern Munich, is out of town and not that accessible.

I did some homework at the club boutique in central Nice in Place Massena and was given a helpful card of the 95 bus route from the city centre to the stadium. A guy on TripAdvisor had said how accessible it was and I recall other visits when I took the bus.

On the last time it was – like yesterday – a boiling hot day, the bus was poorly ventilated and stuck in traffic I felt rather faint. So I resolved to get to the stadium early to avoid the crush. I had bought a ticket in the Premium section which has a comfortable lounge at which a vocalist sings rather loudly.

At  the 95 bus stop were 4 German football fans from Dusseldorf and a Frenchman. One of the German group spoke fluent English and conversed in this to the Frenchman. They were both knowledgeable on the game and speculated whether Arsene Wenger might go to PSG and not the favourite for the job Thomas Tuchel.

I had read an article in the Mail on Sunday on the various contenders for the Arsenal job. Luis Enrique is the favourite as he can start right away, revitalised Barcelona, and Arsenal would favour his style.

Joachim Low is liked but is involved right now in Germany’s World Cup preparation and defence. We had plenty of time to chat as we waited 45 minutes for a bus, not 6 minutes as stated in the card, and when one arrived it was full and did not stop. Eventually we clamboured aboard one. It was a long journey as round the airport there are huge construction works due to extending the tramway to it.

Finally I got to the stadium almost 2 hours after I set off. The pre-match ritual  is the release of an eagle – Nice’s nickname is Les Aiglons, the Eagles – and the arrival of the team on the pitch to the singing of Nissa la Bella. The match was important as Nice were seventh, Montpellier eighth, and both were going for a Europa Cup place.

You would not have guessed its importance as both sides served up a sterile performance; perhaps it was the heat but the play was torpid. Only those that had played in a more demanding league, Nice’s Dante at The Bundesliga and the mercurial Mario Balotelli in serie a and the Premier, stood out. Nice’s Lee-Malou struck a shot from outside the box for the only goal of game.

I decided to stay in the lounge to avoid the crush. However even 30 minutes after the end the bus stop was crowded.

I got on aboard and then it started. 6 young ultras from Nice started singing such songs as “If you’re not singing you’re a queer” One bashed the panels as accompaniment and they jumped and down and chanting their offensive songs. At the construction site the bus did not move. The rest of the bus was quiet and one father and son looked on fearfully. Another middle-aged man, continually jostled next to them, did try a word with them. I saw one of the group roll a  joint. I could not get out till the first stop and although this was a long way down the Promenade Des Anglais – anything was better than remaining on that bus.

I really dislike these guys for 2 reasons.  Firstly they assume they are the real supporters and – secondly they clearly enjoy being louts and imposing on others who had come to watch their team more peaceably. That Nice for the first time might have achieved European qualification three years running was never discussed.

Clearly there is a nasty hooligan culture in French football. Whatever the defects of English football we have removed these.