There were ugly scenes at the Stade Geoffroy Guichard, as Saint-Étienne were relegated from Ligue 1 at the hands of Ligue 2 side Sochaux, as fans invaded the pitch to chase the players off.
Saint-Étienne have been a mainstay in Ligue 1 ever since 2004. This season, though, things did not go according to plan for Les Verts. They finished 18th in the league, but the silver lining was that they would have a chance to avoid relegation if they won their play-off match against Auxerre.
Both legs of the play-off tie ended in a stalemate, and eventually the tie went to penalties. Things did not go according to plan, however, as they had to bow out after losing 5-4 on penalties.
But things went from bad to worse after the final penalty hit the back of the net. In a video posted by French journalist Adrien Blettery, hordes of angry Etienne fans streamed into the pitch. Some fans started launching projectiles in the form of flares and fireworks. The players can be seen running down the tunnel.
La préfecture communique un premier bilan des blessés de ce soir après #ASSEAJA :
14 blessés légers parmi les forces de l’ordre, 17 blessés légers parmi les supporters et 2 blessés légers parmi les joueurs de l’#AJA. pic.twitter.com/Xg4rHpDVDo
— Adrien Blettery (@AdBlettery) May 29, 2022
Both teams’ players sought refuge in the locker rooms, but Prime Video television footage from the tunnel showed players, stewards, and staff coughing as a result of tear gas deployed by police on the pitch to disperse the intruders.
Les Vertes have already been sanctioned many times this season for the behavior of its supporters. This play-off game, too, was with one stand closed following incidents during the match against Monaco at the end of April.
Saint-Étienne Lose Ground on PSG and Marseille
The result marks the end of a disastrous season for the 10-time French champions. They will now have to go through serious financial difficulties as they drop down a tier for the first time since 2004. Auxerre, though, will be in Ligue 1 for the first time in a decade.
Along with Paris Saint Germain and Marseille, St. Etienne hold the record for the highest number of French League titles- 10. But their glory days have disappeared a long time ago with their last title coming in 1981. It is hard to predict when they will win their 11th title following their relegation. But their utmost priority, for sure, is to return to the top tier as soon as next season.
