Lyon’s anger not abating following team bus attack

On 29th October, Olympique Lyonnais’ team bus was attacked by Olympique de Marseille fans en route to the Vélodrome. OL manager Fabio Grosso was notably injured. The window next to the Italian manager, who was then hit by a bottle thrown by an OM fan, according to owner JohnTextor. The wound sustained required 12 stitches. With Lyon’s six other buses, carrying supporters to the stadium for the Choc des Olympiques, also coming under attack, the decision was taken to abandon the match just minutes before the scheduled kick-off time. The LFP, France football’s governing body, has said that they will not take any action, inciting anger from Les Gones. 

The LFP announced last week that a new date for the fixture has been set. Despite the violent incidents that transpired on that evening in late October, the match will nonetheless take place with supporters in attendance, according to RMC Sport, but not Lyon fans. France’s Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castera has said that OL fans will be banned from making the trip to Marseille for the re-arranged match on 6th December. 

Lyon are incensed, not only by the conditions in which the re-arranged match will take place but also by the lack of sanctions. In a communiqué from the LFP on Wednesday, it was revealed that Marseille would not be punished for the incidents as they took place in a public space and not within the stadium itself. “As a result, the committee will not discipline these incidents,” concluded the press release. Lyon responded on Thursday, stating that they are “deeply shocked” by the disciplinary committee’s decision and announced that they have contested the LFP’s judgement. 

The club’s director of football, Vincent Ponsot, believes that Lyon are being vilified.“The