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By Agency Report

A fan of French Ligue 1 club Nantes has died after being stabbed before the club’s 1-0 win over Nice.

The incident happened when several vehicles transporting visiting Nice supporters were attacked by Nantes fans while on their way to the Beaujoire stadium before Saturday’s game.

Nantes public prosecutor Renaud Gaudeul said a 31-year-old man died.

The victim received “a wound in the back, which could correspond to a bladed weapon”.

BBC Sports reports that the prosecutor said that an investigation for “voluntary manslaughter” had been opened and a 35-year-old driver of one of the vehicles had been taken into custody.

Nantes said they were “saddened” by the death, sending their condolences to the victim’s family.

“Numerous witness interviews are under way and will continue into the night,” the club said in a statement.

“The club can only deplore that a person lost their life in such circumstances.”

French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera said the investigation must “identify the exact circumstances of the events”.

The death comes against a backdrop of tensions and recent incidents on the sidelines of Ligue 1 matches.

Two Brest supporters were injured a week ago when their bus was targeted by projectiles after the club’s 3-1 victory in Montpellier.

At the end of October, Lyon’s team bus was hit by rocks on its approach to Marseille’s Velodrome stadium and coach Fabio Grosso was left with cuts to the face that required stitches.