(Reuters) – The Ligue 1 clash between Olympique de Marseille and Olympique Lyonnais, rescheduled for Dec. 6 after being postponed due to an attack on the Lyon team bus, will be played at Marseille’s Stade Velodrome, the French League (LFP) said on Thursday.
The disciplinary commission said it would not take any action following the incident. The ruling has annoyed Lyon, who said they would appeal the decision.
The original fixture, scheduled for Oct. 29, was called off after Lyon’s team bus was pelted with bottles and stones, injuring coach Fabio Grosso, as the players made their way to the Stade Velodrome.
On Nov. 2, the LFP announced the date for the rescheduled game, but no venue was named, with Lyon’s director of football, Vincent Ponsot, calling for the game to be played at a neutral venue. The LFP has instead rescheduled the game for Marseille.
“The LFP Competitions Commission has decided, following the information and guarantees provided by the Prefecture of Bouches-du-Rhône, to play the Olympique de Marseille – Olympique Lyonnais match, counting for the 10th matchday of Ligue 1, at the Orange Vélodrome, on Wednesday 6 December 2023,” the LFP said.
After the disciplinary commission said it would not punish Marseille because the incidents occurred on a public highway, and therefore the organising club was not at fault, Lyon said they would appeal the decision.
“Olympique Lyonnais is deeply shocked by the decision of the disciplinary committee to declare itself incompetent to deal with the extremely serious incidents that severely hampered the arrival of its professional squad near the Stade Velodrome on Sunday, October 29,” the club said in a statement.
Lyon are bottom of Ligue 1 with four points after 10 matches. Marseille are ninth with 13 points.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
