As reported by So Foot, Reims’ late arrival for their game with Monaco yesterday lunchtime, leaving Monaco players alone on the pitch for five minutes before kick-off, was meant as a protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The decision was supported by Reims president, Jean-Pierre Caillot, who told Amazon Prime Video: “I have always considered that a football match was a party, but given what is happening in Ukraine… I’m aware that this is a symbolic action but we must help protest however we can.”
Although Caillot didn’t confirm as such, the protest was seen as being partly aimed at Monaco’s Russian oligarch owner, Dmitri Rybolovlev.