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There'll be no action at the Stade Velodrome this weekend. DPA/PA Images
Called Off

Security worries in France mean 4 games in Ligue 1 this weekend have now been postponed

Authorities are expecting more anti-government demonstrations this weekend.

FRENCH LEAGUE GIANTS Marseille will miss a second consecutive league encounter after their weekend fixture with Bordeaux was postponed by league chiefs today.

Marseille’s league match with Saint-Etienne was postponed last week due to security concerns linked to the France-wide ‘yellow vests’ movement.

Authorities are expecting more anti-government demonstrations this weekend, which, combined with other “demands for police and security services elsewhere”, according to the French Professional League (LFP), has left a shortfall in the numbers of available officers for league encounters.

Three other league games: Nice v Saint-Etienne, Nantes v Montpellier and Caen v Toulouse have been postponed for similar reasons.

Last week six league encounters were postponed amid mass ‘yellow vest’ demonstrations in France aimed at the government of President Emmanuel Macron. They were all rescheduled, to be played on 15-16 January.

Although more protests are expected this weekend, France is also on tenterhooks following a shooting in Strasbourg in which three people died. The 29-year-old suspect on France’s terror watchlist is still at large

The victims will be honoured by a minute’s silence at all remaining league fixtures this weekend.

The LFP said “a minute’s silence” will be held before all kick-offs this weekend “to honour and show our solidarity with the victims of the shooting in Strasbourg.”

Marseille are in action later tonight when they host Apollon Limassol in the group stages of the Europa League.

Murray Kinsella, Gavan Casey and Eddie O’Sullivan preview another big weekend of Heineken Cup action and dissect the week’s main talking points.


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