Troyes fans forced their game to be abandoned as they sit on the brink of back-to-back relegations.
The French club were in the riches of Ligue 1 last season, brushing shoulders with Lionel Messi and Neymar. However, they could find themselves playing in the regional divisions of France’s third tier next season as they sit 17th in Ligue 2.
Troyes faced a relegation six-pointer on Friday evening when they welcomed Valenciennes to the Stade de l’Aube. However, the game was abandoned as the home fans launched flares onto the pitch in the 89th minute protesting their owners.
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Troyes are part of the City Football Group (CFG), who are headed up by European titans Manchester City. The CFG have 11 clubs under their banner with five in Europe: City, Troyes, Girona, Palermo and Lommel SK.
The French fans have seen their squad fall from flying high in Ligue 1 to the depths on Ligue 2 – and Friday proved a step too far. With the score level at 1-1, flares were launched onto the pitch forcing the game to be abandoned.
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Troyes players attempted to throw the flares off the pitch, but they were just met with chants of “Merci City.”
Anti-City sentiment in Troyes has been running high this season. In 2023, Troyes splashed out club-record signing Savio, who, 16-days after signing, was promptly loaned out PSV Eindhoven. And after Troyes crashed out of Ligue 1, Savio was then loaned out to another CFG club, Girona.
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Envious eyes have been cast on the Catalan club with Savio the star in Girona’s unlikely La Liga title charge as they battled with another relegation. Troyes’ summer signings have also left them with youngest average squad in Ligue 2.
In recent months, Troyes fans have fumed they are just a pawn in the City footballing machine. And, on Friday, they voted with their feet.
The abandoning of the match leaves them seven points from safety with just three matches remaining to play, with relegation all but confirmed.