Referee Mathilde Demoncay Injured in Friendly Clash Between Metz and Fortuna Sittard

A female referee was injured during a friendly match between Metz and Fortuna Sittard when tension escalated on the pitch. The incident occurred in the 40th minute, as Mathilde Demoncay attempted to break up a confrontation between players following a shirt-tugging incident. As players from both teams rushed to join the altercation, Demoncay was knocked to the ground, suffering a concussion. She remained on the pitch for several minutes, visibly in pain while holding her arm. Medical staff, assistant referees, and security personnel quickly responded to assess her condition and restore order. Despite the injury, the 26-year-old Demoncay resumed her role as assistant referee after play resumed but left the field at half-time, allowing another assistant to take over her duties. In the end, Metz secured a 3-1 victory over Fortuna Sittard, but the incident raised concerns about player conduct and referee safety in friendly matches.

Source: BBC Sport - 2026-07-26

• fc-metz
• football