Ex-Sunderland star Wahbi Khazri caught among St Etienne supporter chaos after Ligue 1 relegation

Former Sunderland winger Wahbi Khazri was among the St Etienne players forced to take refuge in the tunnel after fans invaded the pitch and threw flares after their relegation to Ligue 1. Auxerre won promotion through the Ligue 1 relegation play-off after winning 5-4 on penalties.

Both legs finished 1-1 with Les Verts dropping down to the second tier of French football. The former Black Cats midfielder played just over an hour with home supporters storming the pitch after the final whistle, leaving some players to sprint off the field.

The Daily Record claims some St Etienne flares were thrown towards their own players, in an evening which marred French football. A number of games this season have been marred by fan violence, including an incident involving Dimitri Payet, after he was struck by a bottle back in November.

Pressure is now mounting on Ligue 1 chiefs to crack down on the hooligans after last night's incident. It comes just 24 hours after the Champions League Final where Liverpool supporters were pepper sprayed ahead of the game against Real Madrid as they tried to get into the Stade De France.

UEFA are not expected to take a dim view on the latest incident.