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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Darren Wells

Marseille training ground catches fire as fans force entry in mass protest

A fire broke out at Marseille's training ground on Saturday as fans attempted to force entry into the facility armed with fireworks.

As reported by La Provence, hundreds of fans stormed the training base spraying smoke bombs, firecrackers and fireworks at the front of the building, with a tree eventually catching fire.

Video footage caught images of the roaring fire as it spread and smoke billowed into the air, while RMC Sport reported that some supporters had broken into the Robert Louis-Dreyfus complex.

Fans continued to let off fireworks even after sparking the blaze in a mass protest aimed at the team and the club's board ahead of Marseille's clash with Rennes.

Marseille's players normally congregate at the training ground in the hours before matches, but it is not clear whether they were inside the facility when the fire began.

It comes in the same week Marseille boss Andre Villas-Boas admitted it will probably be his last season in charge of the team amid their "awful" campaign.

Marseille have already been knocked out of the Champions League and are currently sixth in the Ligue 1 table having lost all of their last three fixtures.

Asked about his contract, Villas Boas said. "It looks like the end. I think it'll all be over in June."

"I'm demanding nothing because looking at where we are it wouldn't be right. And I think everyone agrees with that.

"I can't see an extension materialising, we're 13 points off the top.

"The place needs a clear out including myself, unless I get 10 straight wins maybe not. But I'm responsible for the results and right now they're awful."

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