A new bout of violence erupted in French football when the Olympique de Marseille v Olympique Lyonnais match was abandoned due to an attack on the Lyon team bus on Sunday. The incident left Lyon coach Fabio Grosso with facial injuries, marking another instance of fan brutality in Ligue 1. This is a setback for the French League (LFP) as they are currently negotiating a TV rights deal for 2024-29. The LFP has no jurisdiction to punish Marseille for this incident as it occurred outside the Stade Velodrome.
This incident is particularly embarrassing for the LFP as they are preparing for the tender for the TV rights deal, which concludes on Thursday. Moreover, this event tarnishes the image of French football less than a year before the Paris 2024 Olympics, since some preliminary round Olympic matches will be held in Marseille. It is worth noting that Marseille witnessed violence during the 1998 World Cup between English fans and French police.
Lyon expressed their regret over the recurring violence in Marseille and called on the authorities to take these incidents seriously before a more tragic event occurs. The club plans to file a formal legal complaint in response to the attack. OM president Pablo Longoria emphasized that what happened to Fabio Grosso is unacceptable, even if it took place outside the stadium. He expressed his anger and dismay at the situation.
Sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera strongly condemned the actions, stating that they go against the core values of football and sport. She called for the perpetrators to be identified and severely punished. The minister later confirmed that seven suspects had been arrested on Sunday night.
This is not the first time the away team bus has been targeted in Marseille, as similar incidents were reported in 2016 and 2019. The 2021-2022 season also witnessed fan trouble, with Nice being penalized two points and one player/fan suspended after clashes with Marseille supporters, who threw objects and invaded the pitch.
In addition to this recent incident, the northern derby between RC Lens and Lille was also affected by crowd issues. During the match, rival fans threw objects at each other and entered the pitch, causing a delay in the start of the second half. Riot police and stewards had to intervene. Previous instances of crowd trouble occurred in Montpellier, Angers, Marseille, and St Etienne during the 2021-2022 season.
Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Michael Perry
