Rugby: During the Top 14 derby, thousands of Perpignan supporters invaded the Ovalie district in Montpellier

USAP supporters set the mood around GGL Stadium. Midi Libre – Dorian Cayuela

USAP supporters set the mood around GGL Stadium. Midi Libre – Dorian Cayuela

USAP supporters set the mood around GGL Stadium. Midi Libre – Dorian Cayuela

Les supporters de l'USAP ont mis l'ambiance autour du GGL Stadium. Midi Libre – Dorian Cayuela

Le match entre Montpellier et Perpignan a vu plusieurs milliers de supporters catalans mettre l’ambiance autour du GGL Stadium et à l’intérieur du stade.

Yesterday, at the end of the afternoon, the full stands of the GGL Stadium were incandescent, painted in unusual colors, the yellow and red of the Catalans of Perpignan. The Top 14 derby between the MHR and the USAP was the highlight of a day like no other around the stadium and in the Ovalie district.

A Catalan fury has swept through the Hérault capital. Some 4,000 Perpignan supporters, according to official figures, certainly one or two thousand more, gathered on rue Gustave-Flaubert to welcome the bus of USAP players, in an exceptional atmosphere. "Here, here, it’s Perpignan", chanted these merry fellows, proud as roosters to thus take over the streets of Montpellier : "In Perpignan, we don& ;rsquo;don’t wait for the finals to support our players,” said a USAP aficionado mischievously.

"Looks like we're on the move"

Very present but much less noisy, the Montpellier supporters, more spectators than the Catalans, attended these scenes of jubilation around the stadium, a little taken aback: "It looks like ;rsquo;we're on the move, noted Marcel, laughing alongside his friends.

Other MHR supporters regretted the lack of local fervor: “Supporting the club means being there when it's in tough times, said Guilhem, blue and white flag in hand. It’s too easy to only be there when everything is going well."

And Sophie added: "We have to be present in bad times. In Montpellier, he has a lot of supporters for the month of May, regretted the secretary of the supporters club, the XV of the MHR.

"We know how to compete with the best audiences"

Frédéric Sidobre is one of the most loyal: "Being a supporter means coming to the stadium in blue and white, singing, pushing, shouting, explained the boss Clapas Cistes, one of the MHR supporter groups. There are a few of us who do it, not enough, it’s true. Facing the hot crowd of Perpignan, it's complicated but we saw in the final of the 2022 championship that we know how to be good and compete with the best crowds."

In the meantime, the MHR supporters lost the stands match against the Catalans. 

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