UEFA has handed down severe disciplinary sanctions following the volatile conclusion of the UEFA Champions League playoff second leg between Olympique Lyonnais and Fenerbahçe SK, penalizing players Mattéo Guendouzi, Mason Greenwood, and a member of the Lyon coaching staff for pitchside provocations and misconduct.
Mattéo Guendouzi Receives Four-Match Ban and Heavy Fine
According to disciplinary announcements issued on Friday, September 4, French midfielder Mattéo Guendouzi was suspended for four European competition matches and fined €50,000. UEFA’s disciplinary panel penalized the former Marseille player for insulting individuals present at the match, provoking spectators, and breaching fundamental rules of good conduct during Fenerbahçe’s 2-1 victory, which secured the Turkish club’s progression into the Champions League.
Mason Greenwood and Coaching Staff Also Penalized
Guendouzi was not the only player penalized for the post-match incidents in Lyon. Mason Greenwood also faced disciplinary action from European football’s governing body.
On the home side, Olympique Lyonnais goalkeeper coach Antonio Ferreira received a five-match European ban, with two games subject to a one-year probation. Official records show that Ferreira’s heavier sanction stems from attempting to strike Guendouzi during the chaotic scenes that followed the final whistle.
Disciplinary Context and Financial Penalties
The sanctions arrive in the wake of a tense playoff tie where Fenerbahçe overcame Lyon 2-1 on away soil. Following the elimination, both Guendouzi and Greenwood directed taunts toward the Rhodanien supporters, prompting immediate intervention and subsequent UEFA charges.
Next Steps in European Competition
With the disciplinary review concluded, Fenerbahçe will navigate the UEFA Champions League without the immediate services of Guendouzi for their upcoming European fixtures. Olympique Lyonnais, meanwhile, must manage the technical area without Antonio Ferreira for the initial five matches of their continental campaign as the club transitions its focus back to domestic Ligue 1 action.
