Fenerbahce’s return to the Champions League was overshadowed by scenes at the Groupama Stadium that will almost certainly reach UEFA’s disciplinary panel.
Guendouzi, jeered from the warm-up onward for his Marseille past, showed the middle finger to the Lyon supporters’ section several times during the game and, at the final whistle, turned to a pitchside camera and shouted “Allez l’OM.”
Vedat Muriqi and Archie Brown scored for the Turkish side, with Malick Fofana on target for Lyon. İsmail Kartal’s team went through 3-2 on aggregate after the 1-1 first leg in Istanbul, back in the Champions League for the first time since 2008-09.
Antonio Ferreira held back at the tunnel
As the teams headed for the dressing rooms, Lyon goalkeeping coach Antonio Ferreira lunged at Guendouzi in what French reporting compared to Eric Cantona’s infamous 1995 kick, but a security officer reached him before any contact was made.
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The corridor behind him was already chaos. More than 20 players and staff members were caught in a melee of punches, slaps and chases through the tunnel, and Lyon forward Loïs Openda picked up a facial wound in the crush.
A Lyon supporter then jumped down from the stands near the tunnel entrance and attacked Guendouzi. Fenerbahce goalkeeper Ederson and teammates hit back at the intruder.
Tolisso condemns Guendouzi’s conduct
Lyon captain Corentin Tolisso, one of the players who confronted Guendouzi on the pitch, made no attempt to dress the scenes up.
“I don’t particularly want to talk about what happened at the end. It’s not the image of football, of OL,” he told Foot Mercato.
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Asked what he had said to Guendouzi in the on-pitch scuffle, Tolisso replied that he had told him to stay humble in victory and go and celebrate with his own team in the dressing room.
“We get insulted every weekend when we play away, you can’t react like that, have that mentality,” Tolisso said of the middle-finger gestures.
“I think it’s irresponsible. I hope he learns and grows from this.”
Openda struck a similar note.
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“It’s not something we want to see in the world of football. Now it’s over, everyone goes back to their own dressing room.”
UEFA charges in view
Guendouzi is exposed to a UEFA charge over provoking spectators with the middle-finger gestures and the “Allez l’OM” celebration. Both clubs are also facing possible action over the tunnel brawl and the pitch invasion, and other players and staff caught in the melee could yet be sanctioned.
UEFA had not opened proceedings publicly by Thursday morning.
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