Former France international Marcel Desailly hopes Patrice Evra's indiscretion does not see his compatriot's career end in disgrace.

Marseille left-back Evra became the first player to be sent off before kick-off in a Europa League match on Thursday when he appeared to aim a kick at the head of one of his own club's fans prior to their match against Vitoria Guimaraes.

UEFA handed him an initial one-game ban while OM suspended the 36-year-old, who was subjected to unkind chants from supporters, believed to be unhappy with his social-media antics amid disappointing on-field performances.

During Marseille's 5-0 thrashing of Caen on Sunday, fans held up a banner featuring the words "Evra get out!" while the defender responded on Instagram thanking the "real" supporters for their backing.

Desailly, a World Cup winner and European champion with France, hopes Evra's career - which has encompassed seven domestic league titles in England and Italy as well as one Champions League crown - does not become defined by the unsavoury moment.

"Everybody has to make their own view about it," Desailly told reporters.

"From the moment that you are inside a football arena you are talking about football, from the fans that are doing their crazy things sometimes, and eventually the players that have to be an example.

"Then you have your own judgement about that, so now we'll leave it for the French Federation and eventually UEFA to decide what it's about.

"Everyone knows you should try and keep your nerves, but I'm very sad because he has had a great career and I would not like him to finish like this.

"He has his own reason, I hope he will apologise and he can move on and allow the game to continue."