PATRICK VIEIRA faced calls to be SACKED by angry Nice ultras before his side crashed out of the Europa League with defeat to Bayer Leverkusen.
A video emerged which showed fans temporarily blocking the team bus as they tried to leave for the game from the club’s training ground.
Nice boss Patrick Vieira is under pressure and faced a protest from fansCredit: Reuters
The bus eventually made its way to the stadium but the pre-match protests were the latest humiliation for the under-fire boss of the Ligue 1 side.
French reports say Nice’s hardcore fans want Vieira out following a dismal run of results and poor performances this season.
Nice are currently 11th in the French top-flight and almost certain to miss out on the Europa League knock-out stages.
Arsenal legend Vieira, 44, has a contract with Nice until June 2021.
The stunt received a mixed reaction on social media with one supporter commenting: “Vieira is bigger than your club, have shame.”
Another joked: “Not very Nice.”
The pressure looked unlikely to ease on the former Gunners skipper as his side made a slow start as Leverkusen visited the Allianz Riviera.
Vieira’s side conceded just 22 minutes in when Moussa Diaby broke the deadlock.
But Nice rallied immediately with Hassane Kamara levelling the game just four minutes later.
Aleksandr Dragovic’s 32nd-minute effort gave the German side a half-time lead but it was shortlived.
Dan Ndoye’s goal just one minute into the second-half made it 2-2 but Nice were level for just five minutes before Julian Baumgartlinger restored the away side’s lead.
And that’s the way it stayed, the 3-2 defeat – which saw Nice crash out of the Europa League – putting yet more pressure on the World Cup winner.
Vieira took the reins at Nice in 2018 and it his second managerial role.
The former midfielder finished his career at Manchester City and was appointed boss of the Citizens’ sister club New York City in 2016.
He had been linked with the Arsenal job before Mikel Arteta was appointed to replace Unai Emery.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
