Things went haywire at AS Saint

Another setback for AS Saint-Etienne in their quest for promotion to Ligue 1. Against Rodez, another contender for a spot in the elite next season, the Greens lost 2-1, marking their third consecutive defeat in the league. Third in the Ligue 2 standings, two points behind Le Mans, the Stéphanois are clearly making it difficult for themselves and, unless a miracle happens on the last matchday, they will have to go through the playoffs to hope for a promotion.

It’s safe to say that the supporters are not happy, and they did not hesitate to show their frustration after the match. At the end of the game, the 400 fans who traveled to the match stopped their chants. Then, after the final whistle, the players went to apologize near the away section. But tensions rose, and Philippe Montanier had a confrontation with a supporter, almost coming to blows, with other players having to intervene to separate them.

Montanier calms the situation

These scenes of clear tension illustrate the annoyance of the supporters, players, and coach of the Greens, all frustrated by the team’s poor form. “It’s normal that we go to see our supporters who traveled. We understand their anger and frustration, but the team didn’t cheat. We didn’t perform well, that’s true, but I think we didn’t cheat. The end shows it, we reduced the score, we almost equalized, that’s the positive note of this match,” said Montanier after the game, who then explained that he understands the supporters’ anger.

“I accept everything: people saying we’re not good, etc. But I found it unfair. But it’s also true that we shouldn’t react to injustice because injustice is part of this world. After all, it’s okay. I have already met the supporters. I know their anger and frustration are justified. I also know that we should do much better if we want to aim higher. We are on our third consecutive defeat. Naturally, that doesn’t sit well. We are on matches of lower technical quality,” concluded the St. Etienne coach. The Greens will have the opportunity to bounce back next weekend against Amiens at home.

Published on 03/05/2026 10:25
– Updated on 03/05/2026 17:34