At Saint-Étienne’s game with Metz this afternoon, ASSE fans too the unusual step in displaying a banner in support of the opposition coach, Frédéric Antonetti.
Antonetti had received a 10 games ban after being sent off last month against Lille following an altercation with Lille sporting director Sylvain Armand on the touchline, later justifying his actions by claiming that the Lille management had tried to put undue pressure on the referee. Armand was also banned for four games.
Often subject to sanctions from the French footballing authorities for a wide range of misdemeanours, Saint-Étienne fans’ banned spread over most of one end of the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard and read: “From coaches to supporters, all are victims of arbitrary sanctions. Support for Antonetti”