Four goals, and almost nobody talking about them
Olympique Lyonnais beat Stade Rennais 4-0 at the Groupama Stadium on Saturday, the last fixture before the international break. Nobody remembers the football.
Two things got in the way. Supporters holding valid tickets were stranded outside the turnstiles while the game kicked off without them. Later, the LFP stopped play after an aggressive banner aimed at ASSE went up in the stands. Corentin Tolisso spoke about it at full time, visibly annoyed. His club took until Tuesday to say anything at all.
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The ticketing system took the blame
Lyon opened with the apology. “We offer our sincerest apologies to supporters who encountered difficulties entering Saturday’s match against Rennes at the Groupama Stadium.”
An investigation with the club’s technical provider followed, and it landed where these investigations usually land: on the software. “Our teams are fully mobilised to make sure this does not happen again.” Something more detailed is promised before the next home game, against Crystal Palace in the Europa League on Thursday 15 October.
On the stoppage itself, the language gets careful. OL “regrets” what happened and repeats its “unwavering commitment to respect and fair play”, which is a tidy way of condemning the banner without ever mentioning it. “The players and staff of both teams work hard for these games, and that deserves respect, rivalry or not.”
Lyon are not the only club stuck with this
Since the protocol was tightened, stoppages have become routine across Ligue 1, and clubs now lose points and momentum over behaviour they insist they cannot control. Lyon could have gone after the LFP here. They did not. The silence probably saves them a fine. The stands are still the stands.
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