Patrice Evra sent off before match begins for kicking out at Marseille supporter
• Substitute Evra dismissed before match against Vitória had kicked off
The former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra brought back memories of Eric Cantona after being sent off for aiming a kick at a Marseille supporter before his side’s Europa League game at Vitória de Guimarães.
Trouble flared during the warmup as supporters and players clashed and pictures appeared to show the 36-year-old kicking a fan in the head at the side of the pitch in Portugal. Video footage showed Evra lashing out at one of his own club’s fans as supporters reached the advertising hoardings at the Estadio D Afonso Henriques in Guimarães.
The Frenchman was then was ushered away by a team-mate but not before creating history – he became the first player to be sent off from a Europa Leaguematch before kick-off. Marseille, who also had Boubacar Kamara dismissed during the match, went down 1-0.
The ugly incident was reminiscent of Cantona’s infamous kung-fu kick at Selhurst Park in 1995 when the United player was sent off for attacking the Crystal Palace supporter Matthew Simmons. Evra is now likely to face a lengthy Uefa ban while his future at Marseille will come under fierce scrutiny in the coming days.
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