A week after the OM-OL incidents, Lille supporters were banned from traveling to Marseille for the match of the 11th day of Ligue 1 scheduled for Saturday (9:00 p.m.), Losc announced on Friday, regretting this decision.
“The club is extremely surprised by this decision taken by the Ministry of the Interior and more particularly by its timing since there was no question of this ban during the discussions held yesterday (Thursday) and the information communicated by the Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture,” wrote Losc in a press release.
“On the contrary, Losc had been notified of confirmation that the transport and security system had been strengthened in order to guarantee the best reception for its supporters,” protested the northern club.
“It’s hard to understand why.”
Some 250 Lille supporters had planned to travel to Marseille. They are, according to the club, “collateral victims of this procrastination”. “I’m surprised because the information we had yesterday (Thursday) was that our supporters could go to the match. Things have changed, it’s hard to understand why. It’s sad for us, because we don’t have our supporters with us. It’s a political decision… I don’t know. President [Olivier Létang] did everything to have security conditions for us and our supporters. It’s a strange decision but that’s how it is,” Losc coach Paulo Fonseca was also surprised.
Again on Thursday, Losc declared that it was “confident” after having “been informed by the Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture of all the supervisory measures and security measures”.
This decision follows the incidents which broke out before the meeting between OM and Lyon, in Marseille, and led to its cancellation last Sunday. The bus transporting the Lyon players and staff was stoned, seriously injuring the Rhone club coach Fabio Grosso in the head. At least one bus of Lyon supporters was also targeted, then other incidents broke out in the stands, in the OL supporters’ parking lot.