Patrice Evra was sent off before Marseille's Europa League game after clashing with fans, appearing to kick one supporter in the head.
Footage appears to show the former Manchester United defender aim a kick at supporters lining up at the side of the pitch ahead of an away game at Vitoria Guimaraes.
The 36-year-old, named as a substitute, was sent off even before the game got under way for an "altercation with supporters", according to a live text commentary on the Marseille website.
Video footage showed Evra lashing out at one of his own club's fans as players and supporters, who had seemingly scaled barriers to reach the advertising hoardings at the Estadio D Afonso Henriques in Guimaraes, confronted each other at the side of the pitch.
Evra was then was ushered away by a team-mate.
According to a report in L'Equipe, he was reacting to taunts directed at him.
The Frenchman, who won five Premier League titles and the Champions League during an eight-year spell with United, joined Marseille from Juventus in January.
Additional reporting by Press Association.
