The Japan Times - Nice host Angers with storm clouds gathering over the Riviera

Last Sunday, following a fourth consecutive league loss for Nice, 200 irate ultras gathered outside the club's training centre as the players and staff arrived back from their 3-1 reverse at Lorient.

The team bus was blocked by the fans as they made the squad get off the bus and walk to the training centre, where some members were "punched, kicked and spat on while being insulted", according to a complaint made by two Nice players to the police.

A subsequent investigation into aggravated assault was opened on Tuesday, and Nice said players Terem Moffi, Jeremie Boga and Jonathan Clauss were victims of physical and verbal assaults. Moffi and Boga were then placed on sick leave by the club.

Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe is also the owner of Nice through his Ineos company, which on Thursday hit out at the events that transpired at the weekend.

"We firmly condemn the acts of violence that targeted the players as well as the sporting director... and we express our full support for all those affected," Ineos Sport chief executive Jean-Claude Blanc said in a club statement.

The situation had deteriorated further on Wednesday when French football authorities ordered Nice to play a match behind closed doors after repeated crowd disturbances earlier in the season.

The blanket ban on supporters will apply to Nice's French Cup tie against Saint-Etienne later in December.

The French league's disciplinary committee also imposed a partial stadium closure on Nice for the top-flight game at home to Strasbourg at the start of January.

Under-fire Nice coach Franck Haise, on the same day, was reported to have told his players he wanted to stay at the club.

"I really thought about breaking my commitment to the club," he later told L'Equipe.

"That night, I couldn't sleep, and I told myself that I couldn't give up... We have to rise to the challenge that this situation presents, and I want to fight."

The first battle in that fightback for Haise will be in stopping the rot of six successive defeats in all competitions when his 10th-placed side welcome bottom-half Angers.

Two spots separate the clubs and defeat, coupled with other results going against them, could see Nice, on 17 points, slip to within three points of the relegation zone.

Paris Saint-Germain fell to a second league defeat of the season last time out and dropped off top spot, but can get back to winning ways on Saturday when they take on Rennes at the Parc des Princes.

Lens can extend their one-point lead at the summit of Ligue 1 when they travel to Nantes for Saturday's early kick-off.

Third-placed Marseille visit fourth-placed Lille on Friday, where a win would, at least provisionally, take Roberto De Zerbi's team top.

Player to watch: Desire Doue

PSG star Doue has been among the club's most absent players as Luis Enrique's champions have endured an injury-hit start to the campaign.

But the 20-year-old told reporters Thursday he felt "ready" to retake the field against his former side Rennes after recovering from a hamstring issue suffered in October.

"I think I'm going to come back very, very well," Doue added. "I'm a hard worker. When I come back, my goal is to last the whole season. And not just play four or five matches."

Key stats

1 - Lens ended matchday 14 in first place in Ligue 1, the last time they topped the table was matchday three of the 2004/05 season, according to Opta statisticians

5 - The number of goals Lorient have conceded in the 90th minute or later this term

7 - Marseille's 35 goals is the highest in the league this campaign, seven more than Lille in second spot in the goalscoring charts

Fixtures (times GMT)

Friday

Brest v Monaco (1800), Lille v Marseille (2000)

Saturday

Nantes v Lens (1600), Toulouse v Strasbourg (1800), Paris Saint-Germain v Rennes (2005)

Sunday

Nice v Angers (1400), Le Havre v Paris FC, Auxerre v Metz (1615), Lorient v Lyon (1945)

M.Fujitav--JT