Security concerns hit Ligue 1

TWO more Ligue 1 games scheduled for this weekend, including the clash between Thierry Henry’s AS Monaco and local rival Nice, have been postponed, the French league LFP said yesterday, amid fears of more violent “yellow vest” protests in France over rising living costs.

The LFP said today’s game at the Stade Louis II had been called off following a request by the government in the Mediterranean principality, “in collaboration” with authorities in the neighboring French Alpes-Maritimes prefecture, which includes Nice.

Sunday night’s encounter between Saint-Etienne and Marseille has also been postponed.

The latest postponements come after Paris SaintGermain’s game against Montpellier and Lyon’s trip to Toulouse — scheduled for tomorrow — were both called off due to security concerns.

Paris has been the scene of violent protests for three weekends running from “yellow vest” demonstrators unhappy at planned fuel tax rises. However, unrest has also spread across France.

The Cote d’Azur derby was due to see Monaco take on a Nice side coached by Patrick Vieira, Henry’s former teammate at Arsenal and the French national side.

Henry oversaw just his second win in 10 games in charge as Monaco beat Amiens 2-0 away on Tuesday but the 2017 champion remains in the bottom three.