On-loan Marseille winger Florian Thauvin was reportedly "violently assaulted" on Monday evening as he fended off an attempted robbery.
According to French outlet La Provence (h/t Get French Football News), the planned attack began with two men on mopeds crashing into the back of the 23-year-old's car at 7 p.m. local time—they then attacked him when he got out to investigate in a bid to steal his watch, reported to be worth €25,000.
La Provence (h/t Sport Witness) added one of the men "strangled Thauvin from behind," but the Frenchman was able to escape them and take "refuge in a nearby house.