Bastia cop stadium ban after derby trouble

The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) announced on Thursday that Bastia have been barred from their home ground indefinitely due to crowd trouble.

The Corsican club will play home games behind closed doors and at neutral grounds on mainland France until the LFP decides otherwise, which is expected to be at least until the end of the Ligue 1 season.

Bastia’s 2-1 derby victory over Nice in Ligue 1 on Saturday was marred by crowd trouble with 66 flares lit at the Stade Armand Cesari, objects thrown at the visiting side, regular interruptions to the match and “the appearance several times of an offensive and obscene banner”.

The LFP met with a representative of Bastia on Thursday and decided to “suspend the stadium Armand Cesari as of Friday March 13”.

It was not the first time this season that fans had transgressed in the Derby de la Mediterranee.

In October, Bastia won 1-0 at Nice – their first away victory against their derby rivals since 1994.

Bastia goalkeeper Jean-Louis Leca celebrated by waving a club flag above his head, which sparked a brawl between opposing players and a pitch invasion from rival fans.