French authorities on Tuesday banned Basle fans from the second leg of the Europa Conference League quarterfinals in Nice.
The reason is to avoid confrontations between rival supporters.
Last week, Nice’s mayor, Christian Estrosi, called for the exclusion of Swiss club supporters from Thursday’s game.
The Ministry of the Interior issued an official order, stating that Basle away games are “frequently sources of disturbance to the public order”.
“There is hostility between the two teams’ supporters because they hold opposing political ideologies.,” the ministry said.
The first leg on April 13 ended 2-2.
According to the ministry “high-risk supporters of both teams made contact and planned to confront each other”ahead Basle game.
On the game day, “a massive use of pyrotechnic devices” was made, and “incidents and provocations were relayed on social media, but without the planned clashes taking place.””, the statement read.
“It is feared that fighting will break out during the rematch on Thursday.”, it added.
Last year, when Basle visited Marseille, further down the Mediterranean coast, in the Europa Conference League last-16, opposing ultras clashed.
32 people were hurt when Nice supporters engaged in violent altercations with visiting Cologne supporters in September.
