French football has never seen such a shock! Legend of Yugoslav football and celebrated coach, Vahid Halilhodžić, has apologized in the strongest terms possible following the collapse of his Nantes. The evening that was supposed to crown his mission ended with Nantes being relegated to the second division, marked by a violent invasion of masked hooligans onto the pitch and total chaos, leaving Halilhodžić utterly devastated.

In his shock-filled statement after the match, Halilhodžić chose his words carefully, visibly affected by the scenes of violence and the sporting failure he experienced for the first time in his four-decade-long career.

In one moment, Halilhodžić directly approached the agitated fans, and only the quick reaction of security prevented a major physical confrontation.

"What can I say? This is very serious. From a sporting perspective, the club is relegated, and this dramatic situation only worsens things. There will be sanctions. It's terrible, it shames me... I can't find any other words except – grief," Halilhodžić began his statement.

About his instinctive attempt to confront the hooligans, he said:

"Yes, I went towards them! I tried to stop those masked people, but there were too many. The security men were dragging me, barely holding me back. I understand the frustration of the fans, but this is not it. The club doesn't deserve this. Nantes is much bigger than any administration."

The incredible scene began even before the match, when the club honored Halilhodžić, only to turn into chaos 20 minutes later.

"My world fell apart in the tunnel! I didn't know they would honor me, I was deeply moved because my son and grandchildren were there. It hit me right in the heart. And then... total chaos. For the first time in 40 years of my career, I did not achieve my goal. It's a shock for me. A failure that hurts me more than I can describe," the legendary expert admitted.

When asked about his future and the potential retirement, Halilhodžić, with his usual dose of black humor, hinted at the end.

"A nursing home? Well, it already belongs to me. I have had enough of those quiet days at home, I will be fine. But the last two months will be deeply etched in my memory. My head will stay on this stadium for a long time. I deserve a break, to be with my grandchildren whom I love and to watch football with passion, but without this direct stress. I am sorry for all those who love Nantes, I hope the club will quickly return where it belongs," the visibly exhausted Halilhodžić concluded.

(Telegraf.rs)