Super Eagles winger Moses Simon says Terem Moffi is still “touched” and in pain after the OGC Nice striker was violently attacked by angry supporters following the club’s sixth straight defeat.
Moffi and Jérémie Boga were confronted on Sunday night as the squad returned to the training centre after a 3–1 loss to Lorient. What was meant to be an organised meeting with fans quickly spiralled into chaos, with around 400 supporters present, some reported to be intoxicated.
French media say both players were punched, kicked and spat on. Some blows were directed at their genitals, while Moffi also heard racist insults. Two ultras had earlier been allowed onto the team bus to express their frustrations, but tensions surged when the players stepped off.
Moses Simon. Photo Credit: Imago
Security staff were unable to contain the crowd. Boga was rushed away with the help of goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf, while sporting director Florian Maurice was also struck in the melee. Moffi, who has recently struggled with fitness issues, required assistance from teammates to reach safety. Both players later filed police complaints.
Simon, who spoke to his Super Eagles teammate after the incident, told RMC Sport: “I talked with him, he is touched and he still has a bit of pain.”
The Paris FC forward said the scenes were unacceptable for a major European club.
“When something like that happens, it’s not good. For a big Ligue 1 club, it’s not good. That something like that could happen in a top-five league.It’s a mess. I hope the club and the Federation will do something.”
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Medical checks placed Moffi on sick leave until Sunday due to the “physical and psychological impact.” Boga received at least five days of medical leave.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
OGC Nice later issued a strong statement condemning the violence, saying the club “offers full support” to those affected and “condemns these acts in the strongest possible terms.”
France’s players’ union, UNFP, also expressed outrage, insisting the safety of footballers is “non-negotiable.”
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Moffi, a key figure for both Nice and Nigeria, continues to recover as police work to piece together how a tense meeting escalated into one of the season’s most troubling incidents in French football.
