Marseille suspends Patrice Evra after kicking incident with fan

Marseille announced Friday the club has suspended left-back Patrice Evra the day after the 36-year-old kicked a fan in the head during the build-up to a Europa League match with Vitoria. He was subsequently issued a red card.

The French side explained that Evra had been provoked by serious hateful insults, but still affirmed his response was unacceptable and inappropriate for a professional and experienced player.

Marseille president Jacques-Henri Eyraud met with Evra to inform him of the decision, while also summoning him for an interview before a possible sanction. UEFA opened its own disciplinary proceedings after the incident, which saw Evra raise his leg high and kick the Marseille supporter.

The club also said it is looking into legal proceedings against the fans who instigated the incident.