As he had already been in Nice in August, the player was hit on Sunday in Lyon by a full bottle of water thrown by a supporter of the Virage Nord at the Stade de Lyon, at the very start of the match.

But the insults did not wait for the kick-off: they had started as soon as the two teams warmed up.

They continued while the player was on the ground, treated, and until late in the evening, when the announcer first announced the resumption of the meeting and then his final stop.

Described as "psychologically affected" on Sunday by OM President Pablo Longoria, Payet, suspended for the next Provencal match Thursday in Turkey against Galatasaray, was absent in training on Monday.

Sunday, a few moments before being hit in the head, the Réunionese had first cautiously moved away from the corner point, while balls of paper and various projectiles were already targeting him.

Call for calm

Because he had already been there on August 22 in Nice, targeted in the same way when taking a corner, then hit, already, by a full water bottle in the back.

He had reacted angrily by returning the projectile to the sender and the situation had degenerated with serious incidents, now recurring this season in L1.

In Lyon as in Nice, the match has not resumed and Payet will not find the grounds until Sunday at home against Troyes, in a Stade Vélodrome behind closed doors, sanctioned for the overflows that marked the last OM-PSG (0-0 ).

Before this match against the great Parisian rival, Payet had nevertheless called for calm in a video.

He had not been heard, Neymar and Lionel Messi being targeted by projectiles when taking the corners.

Payet had publicly regretted it.

"I want to thank those who played the game because we can't put everyone in the same bag. For others, unfortunately, I saw bottles, chargers, lighters ... Things that I have already seen against me, so I know what it is. Supporters have been less exemplary and they cannot call themselves OM supporters, "he said.

Marseille playmaker Dimitri Payet, protected by Lutomba against aggression by a Nice supporter during the Riviera derby played at the Allianz Riviera in Nice, August 22, 2021 Valery HACHE AFP / Archives

Photo montage

A highly gifted footballer who likes to roam around, Payet is regularly exposed to the detestation of opposing fans.

In 2020, he mocked on Twitter the defeat of Paris SG in the final of the 2020 Champions League against Bayern Munich.

A few weeks later, before the clash between PSG and OM, insulting banners against him and his companion had been deployed in Paris.

After Marseille's success at the Parc des Princes, he responded with a photo montage depicting Neymar in particular as a dog, in the arms of Marseille defender Alvaro Gonzalez.

In 2019, he also blew on the embers of the rivalry between Marseille and Lyon, where his past at Saint-Etienne makes him even more unpopular, with very frank attacks against his former coach Rudi Garcia, who moved from OM to l 'OL.

"It's weird to see him in the opposite camp, especially in view of his talks and his speeches on the players, the supporters and the president of OL. I won't go into detail, but I would not like them to talk about us like this, "he said, before scoring a brace on match day (2-1).

Marseille playmaker Dimitri Payet clings verbally with PSG star Neymar, under the eyes of referee Jérôme Brisard at Parc de Princes, September 13, 2020 FRANCK FIFE AFP / Archives

This year, before the match in Lyon, Payet again appeared in front of the press.

Asked if he still had a message to convey, he remained very "soft": "Nothing special. I'm doing a kiwi cure, that's all."

© 2021 AFP