Football
Mark Rodden 8y

Marseille boss Vincent Labrune faces fans' anger after poor run

Marseille president Vincent Labrune has defended his decision to play a billiards tournament at the Stade Velodrome following the club's latest disappointing result.

Marseille played out a dour 0-0 draw with Bordeaux on Sunday in what was their ninth Ligue 1 game without a win and fourteenth league match in a row at home in which they failed to pick up three points.

At times the atmosphere turned ugly and several arrests were made as home supporters directed their anger at Labrune, and Marseille owner Margarita Louis-Dreyfus.

Having been spotted and shouted at by irate fans at the end of the game, Labrune was given a police escort to the presidential suite by a specialist group of police officers.

Advised to stay there until it was safe to leave the ground, Labrune decided to pass the time by playing billiards with friends and staff who were also confined to the area.

"I understand that in the media, the billiards tournament might be perceived badly," Labrune told RMC on Monday.

"But it has to be put in context. At that moment, we were in a state of stress.

"We had just come close to a riot, the anti-crime unit of the police were protecting me with a hand on their guns -- all of them ordering us to remain confined in the suite until at least 2 a.m. in the morning."

Labrune said he then had two solutions: to give in to the panic or to reassure the people he was with.

"My only message is that I'm not afraid," he said.

"Nobody is in my place and nobody can realise what I go through at Marseille.

"The guy whose house is graffitied, who is threatened with death and insulted, it's me and no one else.

"And threats against my wife and my family, I cannot accept."

Last week Labrune attended a crisis meeting with Dreyfus in Zurich after which it was decided that manager Michel would remain in place until the end of the season.

The 2010 French champions are 14th in Ligue 1, six points above the relegation zone with five games to play. They will face Ligue 2 side Sochaux in the Coupe de France semi-finals on April 20.

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