Madness in Marseille, where the bus taking Lyon to the stadium for the championship match at the “Vélodrome” against Marseille – which also featured the bench derby between Fabio Grosso and Rino Gattuso – was attacked by groups of OM fans who threw stones and broke the windows of the vehicle. Grosso, world champion with Italy in 2006, was seriously injured in the face. The cameras caught him arriving at the stadium, with his face covered in blood and unable to speak. He was in shock, according to Lyon managers, in a possible state of concussion.
The match was postponed by the referee, François Letexier, condemnations came from the football authorities, from the managers of the two teams, from the Sports Minister, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, who spoke of “inadmissible” facts and “disgusting images” of the evening. Just before 10pm, the evacuation of the “Vélodrome” is still underway, Lyon players and fans are still barricaded inside the facility, protected by the police. Seven people were arrested. The fans of Marseille and Lyon are divided by an ancient rivalry. The match between the two teams is commonly referred to as “Olympico”, as it is the match between two clubs that both call themselves “Olympique”.
According to reconstructions, three coaches of Lyon fans were hit by stones and objects of all kinds as they approached the stadium. Then, a group of about a hundred “ultras”, all wearing balaclavas, went on to attack directly with cobblestones and smoke bombs against the team bus, which was at the head of the convoy and escorted by two police vans. Half of the windows of the team bus, those located on the right of the vehicle, were shattered. Grosso was injured in the face and dripping with blood. He was immediately treated for treatment upon arrival at the stadium, where he struggled to speak and was clearly in a state of confusion. His deputy, Raffaele Longo, was injured in the eye. The players are in shock. In the stands, which had meanwhile been filled with over 60,000 fans, nervousness was increasing, which exploded at the announcement of the cancellation of the match.
Lyon president John Textor confirmed Grosso’s injury and his inability to sit on the bench, but denied having asked for the match to be postponed. Version denied by the League and then by the referee, who said he took the decision after receiving two medical certificates relating to Grosso and Longo. “Postponing the match was the right decision – said Minister Oudéa-Castéra – these episodes of idiocy are the denial of the values of football and sport”. Actions “inadmissible” also for the president of Marseille, Pablo Longoria, “unacceptable” for the mayor of the city, Benoit Payan.
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2023-10-29 20:41:00
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