Marseille Vs Lyon Called Off After Attack On Visitors' Bus
Olympique Lyon's Ligue 1 game against Olympique Marseille was called off on Sunday evening after the visiting team had their team bus attacked on their way to the Stadium.
Lyon manager Fabio Grosso sustained a facial injury when some Marseille fans launched projectiles in the direction of the bus.
Images circulating on social media show Grosso lying on a stretcher with his face in a bandage.
Grosso's assistant Raffaele Longo was also injured in the attack.
The officiating team subsequently decided it was unsafe to play the game and called it off.
A statement from Lyon read: “This Sunday evening, at the entrance to the Velodrome stadium, several individuals violently attacked the Olympique Lyonnais bus, as well as its staff and players.
“Six buses of Olympique Lyonnais supporters were also targeted. If in the past, attacks of this type had already taken place, which Olympique Lyonnais has always regretted, this Sunday, October 29, a new step towards the worst was taken.
“In fact, several secure windows were broken by heavy projectiles of unknown nature. These same projectiles penetrated the interior of the bus.
“Coach Fabio Grosso and his assistant Raffaele Longo were directly hit and seriously injured in the face during this attack. Present with them on the bus, the players and staff were also deeply affected by the violence of this attack, which Olympique Lyonnais strongly condemns.
“Initially, as indicated by the OL representative at the start of the crisis meeting, driven by their courage, the coach and the players wanted the meeting to be able to take place.
“Subsequently, the OL representative was informed of the physical condition of Fabio Grosso and his assistant Raffaele Longo, much more serious than expected, but also of the negative medical opinions and the mental state of the players. She then announced a change in the situation, indicating the impossibility of playing the match.”
“Finally, Olympique Lyonnais regrets that this type of situation occurs every year in Marseille and invites the authorities to take stock of the seriousness and repetition of this type of incident before an even more serious tragedy occurs.”
