Rabat – The highly anticipated Ligue 1 match between Olympique Marseille and Lyon was called off after the Lyon team bus was attacked while en route to Stade Velodrome.
The assailants pelted Lyon’s team bus with rocks injuring Lyon’s Team manager Fabio Grosso and his assistant, Raffaele Longo.
Lyon confirmed that both Grosso and Longo were “directly hit and seriously injured in the face during the attack.” Disturbing images shared on social media depicted a bloodied Grosso.
French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera reported that seven individuals have been apprehended in connection with the attack. Additionally, six buses carrying Lyon fans were targeted prior to the match.
“These unacceptable acts deny the very values of football and sport, and their perpetrators must all be found and severely punished,” Oudea-Castera said.
In a strongly worded statement, Lyon also expressed their deep concern over the recurring incidents of violence in Marseille. The club urged authorities to recognize the severity and repetition of these incidents before an even greater tragedy unfolds.
Following these distressing events, Lyon later released footage showing their players thanking their loyal fans who chose to remain in the stadium.
In addition, Marseille issued a statement that wished Grosso recovery and vehemently condemned the attacks.
Football journalist Julien Laurens, writing on X, decried the situation, calling it a “terrible image for French football” and a “scandalous mess.” He expressed his dismay at the recurring nature of such incidents, labeling them “unacceptable.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino added his voice to the chorus of condemnation, stating that there is “absolutely no place for violence in football.”
