Football: Fans, players clash to force cancellation of French league match

Fans invade the pitch during the abandoned Lyon v Bastia Ligue One match. Photo/Twitter

Lyon's Ligue One clash at Bastia has been called off at half-time, after a series of incidents involving the visiting team's players.

Following an attack on the Lyon players during the warm-up that delayed kick-off, the match was officially abandoned at half-time.

Lyon's players refused to return for the second half, after goalkeeper Anthony Lopes was involved in a physical confrontation on the pitch, as he made his way into the dressing room.

Get Football News France report that the man Lopes came to blows with was Bastia's general services director Anthony Agostini, although that has not been confirmed.

Corsican outlet Alta Frequenza claims that the goalkeeper caused the game to be called off, after he pushed away the reported Bastia official, who asked him not to goad fans.

Footage also emerged of a steward then throwing a kick towards Lyon's Mouctar Diakhaby.

The half-time melee was the final flashpoint of a game, delayed by nearly an hour before even getting underway. As they warmed up, Lyon's players, including Memphis Depay, were attacked by angry home supporters.

Depay was confronted by a supporter before about 100 more fans invaded the pitch and attempted to attack the visiting players.

Though back-up goalkeeper Mathieu Gorgelin was allegedly hit by a home fan, most of the Lyon squad attempted to avoid or diffuse the confrontation, which comes just three days after their Europa League clash with Besiktas was also delayed by fan violence.

However, midfielder Jordan Ferri appeared to kick out at onrushing supporters.

And as fans continued to stream from the stands to join in the violence, Lyon players and officials made their way off the field. They were chased by supporters, until they reached the tunnel.

Having reached the sanctuary of their dressing room, Depay and his team-mates initially refused to play, as security attempted to restore order. After discussions between officials and security staff, however, it was decided the match would go ahead.

Both sides re-emerged onto the field to finish their warm-up, more than 30 minutes after they were due to kick off, on the condition that any more violence would see the game abandoned immediately.

Ex-Lyon left-back Jeremy Berthod told OL TV: 'Bastia fans kicked balls into [goalkeeper Mathieu] Gorgelin's goal. He and Memphis tried to move them out of the way, before being attacked by many SC Bastia fans.

'The players then huddled together. Them and the staff are very shocked.

"The moment it happened, none of them wanted to come out of the dressing room and play this match."

When Lyon did take to the field for the second time, they were applauded by most home supporters and each member of their squad was embraced by club president Jean-Michel Aulas.

"Bastia 1905", the supporters' group reportedly responsible for the violence, meanwhile, were booed by the rest of the stadium.

After the match was called off, Lyon struggled to make it out of the Stade Armand Cesari, as their bus came under attack.

Their first attempt to board the bus was aborted because of a lack of protection and they only managed to get on the road to the airport with protection from riot police, more than an hour after the game's cancellation was confirmed.

As the bus left the stadium, RMC reports that projectiles were thrown, with police attempting to disperse the crowd by releasing tear gas.

Officials from the league and Bastia released statements in the aftermath of the abandonment.

The Bastia statement said: "The Sporting Club de Bastia strongly condemns the incidents that marked the meeting this Sunday against Olympique Lyonnais.

'The club regrets the match counting was not able to be completed, but respects the decision of the LFP and its officials.

'The Sporting Club de Bastia is already gathering all the elements necessary to take the necessary and strong measures following these incidents. And will appear without delay at a meeting of the disciplinary committee of the LFP on Thursday in order to provide all the evidence required.'"

A statement from the French Football League (LFP) read: "Following the new incident at the end of the first period, the LFP decided to stop SC Bastia/Olympique Lyonnais.

"Following the very serious incidents that occurred during the warm-up, the DDSP (Departmental Director of Public Security) had indeed decided to play the game, but to stop it at the slightest incident.

"The LFP condemns in the strongest possible terms the incidents which occurred before the match and at half-time of the match SC Bastia/Olympique Lyonnais."

The ugly events in Corsica come after an incendiary comment from ex-Bastia boss Francois Ciccolini, after the two sides last met in November. He reportedly said: "Let's settle this like men. In Corsica."

It is not the first time this week that a match involving Lyon has been marred by violence in the stands. The French club were charged by UEFA on Friday, after some of their fans clashed with Besiktas supporters, causing their Europa League clash on Thursday to be delayed by 45 minutes.