Henry, Vieira’s Game Postponed In France

  The clash between Thierry Henry’s Monaco and Patrick Vieira’s Nice, has been postponed, the French league (LFP) said Thursday. Two other matches were postponed as well. The postponement came amid fears of more violent “yellow vest” protests in France over rising living costs.

   The LFP said Friday evening’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 neighbouring French Alpes-Maritimes prefecture, which includes Nice.

   Sunday night’s encounter between Saint-Etienne and Marseille and Saturday’s meeting of Angers and Bordeaux have also been postponed on the request of local authorities. The latest postponements come after Paris Saint-Germain’s game against Montpellier and Lyon’s trip to Toulouse scheduled for Saturday  were both called off due to security concerns, and the possibility remains that all other French top-flight games could be postponed too.

   Since November 17, demonstrators wearing yellow, high-visibility vests have blockaded roads in protest against higher taxes on diesel fuel. Demonstrations turned particularly violent last Saturday, with 412 people arrested after the worst clashes in central Paris for decades. A new round of protests is expected this weekend. 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.

NAN