French football Sunday plunged into a fresh wave of chaos and violence as the match between Marseille and Lyon was abruptly called off.
The catalyst for this unprecedented decision? The visiting team's bus was mercilessly bombarded with stones and beer bottles, causing severe injuries to Lyon's coach, Fabio Grosso.
This incident is just the latest in a string of violent outbursts that have been rocking Ligue 1.
It is a bitter reminder of the turmoil that marred the league two years ago when multiple acts of violence and crowd disturbances made headlines.
The chaos unfolded right outside the iconic Stade Velodrome in Marseille, leaving the French League (LFP) without the authority to penalize the home team.
This incident could not have come at a worse time for the LFP, as they were in the midst of negotiating a crucial TV rights deal for the period from 2024 to 2029.
The tender was set to conclude on Thursday, and the violent scenes in Marseille cast an unflattering shadow less than a year before the Paris 2024 Olympics.
It is worth noting that some preliminary Olympic matches are slated to take place in Marseille, a city with a notorious history of fan violence.
Memories of the 1998 World Cup, when England fans clashed with French police in this very city, still linger in the collective consciousness.
"OL regrets that this type of situation recurs every year in Marseille and calls on the authorities to assess the seriousness and repetition of this type of incident before an even more serious tragedy occurs," Lyon lamented in a statement, vowing to file a formal legal complaint.
Marseille's president, Pablo Longoria, was visibly outraged by the incident, stating: "What happened to Fabio Grosso is totally unacceptable. This is something that cannot happen in football. Even if it happened outside of the stadium, it is unacceptable. I am angry and appalled by the situation."
France's sports minister, Amelie Oudea-Castera, also weighed in, declaring, "These unacceptable acts deny the very values of football and sport, and the perpetrators must all be found and severely punished." She revealed that seven suspects had been apprehended on Sunday night.
This isn't the first time Marseille has been in the spotlight for such incidents. Similar incidents were reported in 2016 and 2019 when the away team's bus was targeted. The latest episode comes on the heels of fan trouble that marred the 2021-2022 season.
During that season, Nice was penalized with a two-point deduction, and one of their players, or perhaps more accurately described as fans, was suspended.
The sanctions came after serious incidents during their game against Marseille, which saw visiting players clash with home fans who pelted them with missiles and even stormed onto the pitch.
The trouble was not limited to just that match.
The northern derby between Lens and Lille was also tainted by crowd problems.
The start of the second half was delayed after rival fans threw objects at each other, and, to the astonishment of onlookers, some individuals ran onto the pitch.
Riot police and stewards had to intervene to restore order.
In the 2021-2022 season, we witnessed crowd disturbances in several other locations, including Montpellier, Angers, Marseille and Etienne.
The alarming frequency of such incidents is a cause for concern and demands a comprehensive response from authorities to ensure the safety and integrity of the sport.
