France Five police officers were injured and nine extremists were arrested in connection with the attack that left many members of Lyon club - including head coach Fabio Grosso - bloody.
The incident happened when Lyon visited Marseille in the 10th round of Ligue I on Sunday night, October 29. A group of home fans used bricks, rocks, and sticks to break the windows of the bus carrying Lyon members on the way to the Velodrome stadium.
The debris flew everywhere, causing injuries to many people, the most serious of which was probably Coach Grosso. Images published by the French media showed the Italian strategist's face covered in blood. He had to seek medical attention at the scene, then was hospitalized and received 12 stitches.
Grosso's assistant, Raffaele Longo, also suffered an eye injury, the severity of which is unknown.
Coach Gross's bloodied face on the front page of L'Equipe. Screenshot
A convoy of six buses carrying Lyon fans was also attacked but there was no serious damage. Inside the stadium, another group of home fans tried to break down the mesh fence separating the stands from the playing area. The match was subsequently cancelled.
Today, French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera described the actions of Marseille fans as "rebellious" and "disgusting". She called for a comprehensive and uncompromising response from all parties involved, from the French Football Federation to fan associations and clubs.
The country's leading sports newspaper L'Equipe published a photo of coach Gross on its front page, using words like "disgusting" and "shameful" to describe the incident, and said that French football had "fallen into a new crisis".
Marseille president Pablo Longoria described the attack as "unacceptable", saying such actions do not represent the club and do not deserve a place in the world of football or society.
The car carrying Lyon members had most of the left side window broken. Photo: L'Equipe
Grosso was a member of the 2006 World Cup-winning Italy squad. He was appointed just a month ago, replacing former France and Man Utd international Laurent Blanc. However, Lyon's form has not improved, with just one point from four games since then. Marseille have won three games this season and are ninth. There is a fierce rivalry between the two clubs, dating back to 1945.
French football has a history of riots. Most recently, on October 9, the match between Montpellier and Clermont Foot in the 8th round of Ligue 1 had to be postponed when the home team was leading 4-2, after a fan threw a flare onto the pitch and hit the away team's goalkeeper Mory Diaw.
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