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Football: Schlager canceled in Ligue 1

Football

The big game of the 14th round in the French championship between Olympique Lyon and Olympique Marseille lasted just under five minutes. Marseille player Dimitri Payet was hit in the head by a water bottle thrown from the stands before the execution of a corner.

The referee then sent the two teams into the dressing room. A possible continuation after almost two hours of interruption finally failed due to the refusal of Marseille. Although the Lyon players warmed up again after an hour-long break, those from Marseille no longer appeared on the field.

Marseille midfielder Payet was about to take a corner from the left in the fourth minute when the 34-year-old’s bottle hit behind the left ear. The game was interrupted shortly before the corner because the Lyon fans had thrown objects towards the field. The referee then sent both teams into the dressing rooms. According to a media report, the thrower was identified and then taken from the audience by security forces.

League condemns incidents “in the strongest possible way”

The association of the French Ligue 1 (LFP) condemned the incidents in a press release “the strongest”. Payet has therefore also become the “target of discriminatory insults”. At a time when the league was regaining its appeal, “these repeated serious incidents are destroying the image of the championship in France and internationally,” it said.

AP/Laurent Cipriani

Marseille player Dimitri Payet was hit in the head by a water bottle and went down

The media reported that some professionals did not understand the decision to continue the encounter – the LFP also regretted the decision. But then there was no new kick-off. The stadium announcer announced the referee’s decision via the stadium microphone when the majority of the spectators had already left.

Several interruptions and aborts

This season there have been several interruptions or breaks in Ligue 1 after riots. On August 22nd, the southern derby between Nice and Marseille was canceled after fans ran onto the pitch. This tumult was preceded by several bottle throws. A bottle had also hit Payet at the time, who then hurled it back into the audience.

The game that was canceled was made up for on neutral ground (1: 1). Nice had to play a ghost game. For his involvement in the scuffle, Olympique Marseille fitness trainer Pablo Fernandez has been banned for the remainder of the season until June 30, 2022. Marseille players Payet and Alvaro Gonzalez had been suspended.

A month later, fans at the northern derby between Lens and champions Lille caused riots during the break for a half-hour break.

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