Video: Marseille’s Patrice Evra sent off before match after kicking fan

Patrice Evra did what in football parlance is called an “Eric Cantona” during a clash with Marseille fans last night.

Unlike Cantona, whose infamous kung fu kick 22 years ago was aimed at a rival fan, Evra lashed out at his own supporters before Marseille’s Europa League tie with Vitoria Guimaraes.

The incident occurred before kick-off when, according to BBC Sport, a group of Marseille supporters had been “jeering Evra for about half an hour while the players prepared for the game”.

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The 36-year-old Frenchman, who won the Champions League with Manchester United in 2009, angrily remonstrated with his aggressors. As the exchanges grew more heated, he was joined on the touchline by some of his teammates.

Footage then shows Evra displaying impressive agility for a man of his age in “aiming an acrobatic kick” at a supporter, who appears to fall to the ground after being struck on the face.

In what will surely be a pub quiz question in years to come, Evra, who was listed as a substitute, was sent off by the referee before kick-off in Portugal. Marseille were therefore to start the match with 11 players, although they were beaten 1-0 by the Portuguese side with a late goal from Paolo Hurtado.

The BBC reports that Uefa has charged Evra with violent conduct and he has been suspended for at least one game. Uefa’s disciplinary panel will decide the case on 10 November.

The Daily Express says Evra can expect “certain sanction by UEFA” after the ugly incident. If found guilty, he can expect a lengthy ban.

Cantona, a Man Utd player at the time, was suspended for a year after losing his cool with a Crystal Palace fan in 1995, and Evra may well find himself with plenty of time on his hands regardless of mitigating circumstances.

Speaking after the match, Marseille manager Rudi Garcia confirmed the full-back had been taunted by fans but nonetheless criticised the veteran defender.

“Pat has experience and he must not react, it’s obvious,” Garcia said. “Patrice is a more than experienced player and we cannot respond to insults so low and so incredible because they come from one of our supporters.”

There was a similar line from Marseille in an official press communique issued last night.

“An internal investigation will be carried out to establish all responsible,” it stated. “In all cases a professional player must keep his cool in the face of provocations and insults as hard and unjustified as they are.

“Similarly, the club can only condemn by definition any destructive behaviour by a ‘pseudo supporter’ who insults his own players when everyone must instead support his team.”