Fabio Grosso: Lyon manager 'seriously injured' as team bus attacked in Marseille
- Published
A close-up of the Lyon team coach shows damage to some of the windows
Lyon have warned that an "even more serious tragedy" could occur if action is not taken after manager Fabio Grosso was "seriously injured" in an attack on the team bus in Marseille.
The Ligue 1 match was postponed after the Lyon bus was hit by rocks on its way to Stade Velodrome on Sunday.
Lyon said Grosso and assistant Raffaele Longo were struck by projectiles and sustained facial injuries.
Marseille said it "deplores the unacceptable incidents".
French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera said seven arrests have been made, external after six coaches with Lyon fans were also targeted before the game between 10th-placed Marseille and bottom-of-the table Lyon, which was due to kick off at 19:45 GMT.
In a statement, Lyon said it "regrets that this type of situation occurs every year in Marseille", adding that the club "invites the authorities to take stock of the seriousness and repetition of this type of incident before an even more serious tragedy occurs".
Lyon said several people "violently attacked" the bus and windows were smashed by projectiles.
Images on social media showed a bloodied Grosso lying on a stretcher. Lyon said he and Longo were "directly hit and seriously injured in the face during the attack".
Lyon initially wanted to play the match, but opinions changed following news of the injuries to Grosso and Longo, while the players' mental state was also taken into account.
"He (Grosso) can't hold a conversation, he had shards of glass in his face," Lyon president John Textor told Prime Video.
"I'm very angry. Our players, our coach prepared for tonight and the fans wanted to see the game played.
"Once the window was broken, other projectiles hit him, just above the eye. There were beer bottles, which hit him on the forehead."
Marseille condemn violent behaviour by 'mindless people'
Lyon later released footage, external of Grosso - bandaged above the eye - and their players thanking the travelling fans who remained behind in the stadium.
Marseille president Pablo Longoria said the attacks were "completely unacceptable", adding: "My first thought is for Fabio Grosso, someone I respect and have known for a long time.
"I went to see him as soon as I arrived at the stadium. I saw how he was."
Marseille issued a statement saying they wish a "speedy recovery to Lyon coach Fabio Grosso and strongly condemns this violent behaviour which has no place in the world of football and in society".
"Due to a handful of mindless people, the game planned for this evening was spoiled and deprived 65,000 supporters of attending a football match," they added.
Following the attack a crisis meeting was called where it was decided the game should not go ahead. French football's governing body LFP said its Competitions Commission would decide the next steps.
Marseille said they would comply with any decision made on the fixture's future but hoped it "takes place as quickly as possible and under the best possible conditions at the Stade Velodrome".
'Terrible image for French football'
Thousands of fans were already inside the ground when the announcement was made that the game had been postponed.
"We took into account Lyon's desires for the match not to take place," said referee Francois Letexier.
"Based on Lyon's wishes and the protocol, the decision was taken not to start the match," he added, saying reports "have been forwarded to the relevant authorities who will decide what action to take".
French sports minister Oudea-Castera said: "The images of the stoned buses of the Lyon bus and its supporters, and those of Fabio Grosso's bloodied face are revolting.
"These unacceptable acts deny the very values of football and sport, and their perpetrators must all be found and severely punished.
"These actions marked by stupidity and hatred, which have nothing to do with sport, must be eradicated with the greatest determination."
Fifa president Gianni Infantino said "there is absolutely no place for violence in football".
French football expert Julien Laurens, writing on X,, external described it as a "terrible image for French football".
"What a scandalous mess," he said. "This is not the first time this has happened (and not the last sadly) but I have no words for this. Unacceptable again."
Seven-time French champions Lyon appointed Grosso in September after Laurent Blanc was sacked.