The AS Monaco-OGC Nice derby, originally scheduled for Friday evening, will be played at another future date.
According to a press release from the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) earlier today, Thursday, December 6th, the derby between AS Monaco and OGC Nice has been delayed until further notice.
The match represents the 17th day of Ligue 1 play this season. The release reads: “At the request of the royal government of the Principality of Monaco and in coordination with the Alpes-Maritimes Prefecture, the LFP is postponing the AS Monaco – OGC Nice match, which was billed as the 17th day of Ligue 1 Conforama play and initially scheduled for this Friday, December 7th at 8:45 PM. The Competition Commission of the LFP will fix the date of the meeting at a later time.”
According to a report from Nice-Matin, it is possible that there were not enough available police to control the flow of people around the stadium. Security is indeed a top concern for any sporting event, and special measures are always required around derby matches. Superfans are known for going to extra lengths to incite violent encounters with supporters of rival teams, often requiring police intervention. Just over a week ago, six supporters and three police officers were injured when violence erupted during an AEK Athens and AJAX match. Notably, a molotov cocktail was thrown during the encounter.
This general derby tension is currently amplified by the nationwide mobilization of police forces due to the French yellow vest protests. There is still lingering fear after violent situations were produced in Paris and Lyon, which are no doubt the direct cause for the postponement.
The PSG-Montpellier and Lyon-Toulouse matches have also been delayed. Monaco is coming off of a win against Amiens and hopes to perform well against Nice to remain out of the relegation zone.