OM/OL incidents: Lyon want sanctions and replay the match on neutral ground

Europe 1 with AFP / Photo credit: CHRISTOPHE SIMON / AFP 22:23 p.m., October 31, 2023

OL called for sanctions on Tuesday after the serious incidents that occurred on Sunday evening on the sidelines of the match, finally cancelled, between Marseille and Lyon at the end of the 10th matchday of Ligue 1 and wants the match to be replayed on neutral ground. "Today, the security conditions to play in Marseille are not met. So we would have to play on a neutral ground," said the club's general manager, Vincent Ponsot, on OL Play.

"We want to replay the game, the players had nothing to do with it. Just as our players had nothing to do with it when the bottle was thrown at Groupama Stadium (at Dimitri Payet, then at Marseille, in November 2021, editor's note), even if they were punished in sporting terms," he continued. "What we want is for the safety of our players to be guaranteed. They're here to play football and what we're asking for is that they don't get hit on a cinder block," he said.

Several complaints will be filed

The match at the Stade Vélodrome was cancelled due to the stone-throwing of the OL bus, during which the club's Italian coach, Fabio Grosso, was seriously hit in the face. The technician, who had to have twelve stitches inserted, was not at training on Tuesday. Also speaking on OL Play, OL's assistant general manager, Xavier Pierrot, indicated that complaints would be lodged in the coming days. "Most of the complaints from Fabio Grosso and the members of the coaching staff will be lodged on Thursday, those of the club will be lodged before that," he said. The purpose of these complaints against X, he said, is to provide a "solid case" for justice. Once the perpetrators have been identified, "we will file a complaint against these people by name."

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Three investigations have been opened by the Marseille prosecutor. The first two relate to the stone-throwing of the OL bus and another incident of the same type targeting a bus of Lyon supporters. The third concerns the behaviour of some of the Lyon fans inside the Vélodrome who made Nazi salutes and shouted monkey noises in the direction of the Marseillais. "Today there is a whole media section on these incidents to try to make people forget the first part," said Xavier Pierrot, who nevertheless stressed that these behaviors were "extremely serious". "We filed a complaint. We are waiting for the videos that have been requested to try to identify the people," said the Lyon manager.

Seized of the "behaviour of Lyon fans in the visitors' area during the Olympique de Marseille-Olympique Lyonnais match", the disciplinary committee of the Ligue de Football Professionnel announced in the evening that it would make its decision on 22 November. "In view of the seriousness of the facts, the LFP's disciplinary commission has decided to put the case under investigation," it said in a statement.

One Marseille fan in pre-trial detention, another under judicial supervision

Brought to court immediately for the attack on a Lyon fan bus on Sunday evening, an Olympique de Marseille fan was placed in pre-trial detention on Tuesday and another under judicial supervision pending their respective trials. Accused of violence, throwing projectiles and damage during the incidents that led to the cancellation of the OM-OL match on Sunday, the first, a 22-year-old Marseille supporter, will remain behind bars until his trial scheduled for November 23. The second defendant arrested on Sunday, aged 50, brought before the Marseille judicial court on the same charges, has been released pending a hearing scheduled for 23 January.

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Their lawyers had both asked for a postponement, "to prepare (their) defense and in order to calm things down," explained François Defendini, lawyer for Patrice G., 50, before the hearing. An executive, father of three, who has been employed for 23 years in an appliance company, the latter admitted to having sent a smoke bomb towards the Lyon bus, but said he had responded to shots fired from Lyon. Thomas S., 22 years old, subscriber of the North bend, warehouse worker and forklift driver for two and a half years in the same company, "well integrated" according to his counsel, Sandrine Prospéri, also admitted to throwing a stone. But only because he had just received it on the foot.