Injured in the face on Sunday evening in Marseille when the OL bus was stoned, Fabio Grosso is in shock. The Lyon coach broke his silence on Tuesday, believing on his Instagram account that a “tragedy” could have occurred.
“What happened on Sunday evening could have been a tragedy, and it certainly was for the sport and all those who love it,” he wrote in a message written in Italian and French. The match was canceled. The OL players, who returned to Lyon during the night from Sunday to Monday, then benefited from a day of rest.
A 30-day ITT
“I sincerely hope that this will serve as a lesson for our future,” adds the coach, who had to have twelve stitches and was unable to participate in the training session scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. The Italian technician benefits from a 30-day ITT and his presence on the field for this Wednesday remains uncertain.
Fabio Grosso was injured when the Lyon bus was stoned shortly before his arrival at the Stade Vélodrome, where the Rhone club was to face Marseille at the end of the 10th day of Ligue 1. His face bleeding, he suffered from dizziness and multiple trauma. “I thank you all for your support and your closeness,” he adds on Instagram.
OL want to replay the match because “the players had nothing to do with it”
“Today the security conditions for playing in Marseille are not met. We should therefore play on neutral ground,” declared OL general director Vincent Ponsot on Tuesday on OL Play. “We want to replay the match, the players have nothing to do with it. Just like our players had nothing to do with it when the bottle was thrown at Groupama Stadium (at Dimitri Payet, then in Marseille, in November 2021), even if we sanctioned them sportingly,” he continued.
“What we want is for the safety of our players to be guaranteed. They are there to play football and what we ask is that they do not take a concrete block on their heads.”
Three open investigations
Also speaking on OL Play, OL deputy general director Xavier Pierrot indicated that complaints would be filed in the coming days. “Most of the complaints from Fabio Grosso and members of the management will be filed on Thursday, those from the club will be filed before,” he said. The purpose of these complaints against X is to provide a “solid case” to the courts. When the perpetrators have been identified, “we will file a complaint by name against these people”.
Three investigations were opened by the Marseille prosecutor. The first two relate to the stone-throwing of the OL bus and another incident of the same type targeting a Lyon supporters bus. The third targets the behavior of some of the Lyon supporters inside the Vélodrome who made Nazi salutes and uttered monkey cries in the direction of the Marseillais.