Every weekend, supporters from all over France tear into each other on social media. Some are more delicate than others… More often than not, blind club loyalty takes over. Objective, calm, well-argued debate is rare. Such is the jungle of social media.

After the derby between Stade Français and Racing 92, a few users took offence at a chant belted out by “Virage Lutèce”, the new supporters’ association: “Everybody hates Racing”. A chant lasting barely 30 seconds in a Paris derby as intense as it was tight.

Isn’t winding up the opposition, as long as it doesn’t tip over into insults, entirely normal in sport? Or at the very least, isn’t it part of the game? Who has never answered a provocation on the field with a goal, a basket or a try? Who has never tried to make an opponent lose his head?

“I quite like it when things get a bit electric“

Above all, whatever you do, don’t go and watch amateur matches. You might be shocked. The wind-ups are even strategic. And what’s more, if you’re not caught, you’re not guilty. Now, a word of caution. The banter must not go beyond the limits. The handshake at the end has to be non-negotiable.

Racing 92, for their part, replied in the best possible way: on the pitch. Isn’t that enough? Besides, in the post-match press conference, Patrice Collazo laughed it off. “I saw something like “This is Paris, you’re the suburbs”. Yeah… it must have warmed them up because it was a bit chilly… No, but honestly, we don’t care. But I quite like it when things get a bit electric“.

Faced with the criticism, Virage Lutèce responded in a statement. “Since Saturday evening, many journalists, opposition supporters and assorted commentators have been expressing outrage at abusive chants coming from our stand“, the fan group began.

Before adding: “We wanted to set the record straight: banter in a derby is part of rugby culture and it has as much of a place at Jean-Bouin as in every other stadium in France. “Everybody hates Racing”. 30 seconds. 73rd minute. Winding them up without insulting them“.

Will the Racing 92 supporters do the same on 18 April for the return fixture?