Violence, racism and homophobia: Ligue 1 sinks to new low in Marseille
Could there have been a worse time for French football to further sully its image? As the league tries to sell its TV rights to broadcasters, the last thing it needed was the biggest game of the weekend – the Choc des Olympiques between Marseille and Lyon – to be called off after ugly scenes outside and inside the Vélodrome.
For the first time in five years, Lyon fans were permitted to attend a match at the Vélodrome. It has become common for supporters to be banned from away matches – to the extent that there is a grand sense of occasion when they are permitted to travel. So the 600 Lyon fans who set off to Marseille on Sunday were desperate to see their team’s first win of a very disappointing season. Events outside the stadium spoiled the day.
Lyon’s team bus was stoned by Marseille fans, with the window closest to head coach, Fabio Grosso, smashed. John Textor, the Lyon owner, said the club’s manager was then struck by a beer bottle, leaving him with a big cut above his eye. Textor said Grosso was suffering from dizziness and was barely capable of holding a conversation after the attack. “He had shards of glass in his face,” said the American. “I’m very angry – our players, our coach, prepared for tonight and the fans wanted to see the game played.”
Lyon match at Marseille called off after bus attack leaves Fabio Grosso bleeding
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Marseille’s president, Pablo Longoria, called the attack “unacceptable” but it was not entirely unforeseen. Five weeks ago Marcelino resigned from his job as Marseille manager, citing the “intimidation, insults and slander” he was subjected to by his own fans. The Spaniard has doubled down on that criticism since. “My very short experience with Marseille makes me think that it is absolutely impossible to create a project at the club,” he said earlier this month. “Clubs should grow, not regress, and Marseille, as the results have shown for some time now, is a club that is regressing instead of growing.”
That behind-closed-doors meeting between fans and staff in September, which also led to Longoria temporarily stepping back from his role, showed how toxic sections of Marseille’s fanbase have become. Those elements were on display again on Sunday night – and this time they were broadcast to the world.
The images inside the Vélodrome were equally unsavoury. Lyon fans, like the team, were targeted by projectiles on their approach to the ground. Once inside the stadium, they perpetrated their own crimes, directing Nazi salutes and monkey chants towards Marseille fans. Lyon has subsequently “strongly condemned the unacceptable racist behaviour of individuals” in the away section of the stadium.
To cap one of the darkest chapters in French footballing history, homophobic chants were also heard reverberating around the Vélodrome. The issue has become more prevalent in French football in recent weeks. Marseille’s players were subjected to homophobic chants during their defeat to PSG at the Parc des Princes last month. Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, France’s sports minister, was critical of the PSG supporters, saying: “It is unthinkable to remain deaf to such hateful and homophobic chants in our stands.”
Rennes were also punished for homophobic chanting during their derby against Breton rivals Nantes. Their chants even targeted one of their own players, Matthis Abline, a 20-year-old who has been sent on loan to Nantes. He could not play against his parent club in the game so was not even on the pitch at the time.
Despite the rise in these chants, the LFP – the governing body that runs the major professional leagues in France – is reportedly planning to scrap its annual rainbow shirts campaign, which has been part of Ligue 1’s anti-homophobia drive in recent years. The LFP says it will make a decision about the campaign next month. Ditching it would be completely unjustifiable, especially now.
You do not need to dig deep to find instances of violence, racism and homophobia in French football. In fact, this month has already thrown up examples of all three. Montpellier fans threw a firecracker that landed at the feet of Clermont keeper Mory Diaw, forcing the abandonment of the match; the aforementioned homophobic chants marred Rennes’ victory over Nantes; and the LFP has opened an investigation into racist chanting during a National 1 match between Nancy and Red Star. Solutions to all three issues continue to prove elusive.
« Le dégoût et la honte » en une du journal L'Équipe du lundi 30 octobre#OMOL pic.twitter.com/zhIBoMFbZ4
— L'ÉQUIPE (@lequipe) October 29, 2023
The way all three culminated in front of the eyes of the world on Sunday could do huge damage to the image of the French game. The picture of Grosso’s bloodied face on the front page of L’Équipe will not drive up the price of the broadcasting rights. Quite the opposite. The spectre of the catastrophic Mediapro deal still lingers over French football. The LFP launched its bidding process earlier this month but received no offers. For the first time in its history, Canal+ has not bid to secure the broadcasting rights for the French top flight. It is hardly a surprise given the broadcaster is engaged in a legal battle with the LFP, which stems from Mediapro’s withdrawal in 2020.
The LFP is expected to earn close to €800m per season for the next five years, but that looks unlikely now. The governing body is now negotiating directly with the interested broadcasters. The LFP is also seeking bids for the international media rights, hoping to bring in €200m per year. Securing such a bumper deal will be difficult given this weekend’s headline event did not even take place.
The scenes at the Vélodrome were ugly and unacceptable, not only in the eyes of shocked onlookers, but also in the eyes of global broadcasters, whose support and funding is key to the growth of French football.
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Talking points
Kylian Mbappé scored twice against Brest, securing a late 3-2 victory for PSG, but his interactions with the Brest fans were the topic of conversation after the match. The France captain gestured to the home fans at the Stade Francis Le Blé twice: after he scored the 89th-minute winner and when he was substituted two minutes later. He was reacting to chants targeting his teammate Achraf Hakimi, who is the subject of a police investigation into a rape accusation made against him earlier this year, which he denies.
Kylian Mbappé scored twice as PSG beat Brest. Photograph: Stéphane Mahé/Reuters
“I was a bit surprised by his reaction because I found it ridiculous. He should be above all of that,” said Brest manager Éric Roy. Mbappé’s own manager, Luis Enrique, was also critical, saying he “doesn’t like these kinds of things”. Brest midfielder Hugo Magnetti accused the PSG forward of “lacking class”. “Well, of course I should have sung with them while they insulted my teammate,” quipped Mbappé sarcastically on social media. The episode overshadowed another impressive performance from Mbappé, who has rediscovered his best form since the international break.
Nice are the new leaders of Ligue 1. Francesco Farioli’s team narrowly beat an organised Clermont Foot side and remain the only unbeaten team in France’s top flight. Monaco then faltered against Lille on Sunday. Adi Hütter’s side are in the midst of an injury crisis with defenders, including Vanderson, Caio Henrique, Mohamed Salisu, Guillermo Maripán and Soungoutou Magassa all absent. Monaco muddled through against Metz last week, but Lille were a bridge too far. The 2-0 victory means Paulo Fonseca’s side are fourth, two points behind third-placed Monaco and four points behind leaders Nice. The Portuguese manager cut a frustrated figure at the start of the season, bemoaning the club’s meagre transfer dealings in the summer, but he looks to have righted the ship.
Pos Team P GD Pts
1 Nice 10 7 22
2 PSG 10 14 21
3 Monaco 10 9 20
4 Lille 10 4 18
5 Reims 10 4 17
6 Brest 10 0 15
7 Nantes 10 -3 14
8 Rennes 10 3 12
9 Marseille 9 0 12
10 Lens 10 -1 12
11 Montpellier 9 4 11
12 Toulouse 10 -2 11
13 Le Havre 10 -2 11
14 Strasbourg 10 -6 11
15 Lorient 10 -5 10
16 Metz 10 -8 9
17 Clermont Foot 9 -7 5
18 Lyon 9 -11 3
This is an article from Get French Football News
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