Lyon players file complaint after Bastia fan attacks

Marseille (AFP) – Three Lyon players have filed police complaints after being attacked by Bastia fans during Sunday’s Ligue 1 match.

Sunday’s clash was called off at half-time with the score at 0-0 after fans of the Corsican side twice invaded the pitch and attacked Lyon players.

“Anthony Lopes, Mathieu Gorgeline, Jean-Philippe Mateta filed a complaint against persons unknown for violence at a sporting venue,” Bastia’s public prosecutor Nicolas Bessone told AFP, confirming a story published on RMC Sport.

Midfielder Jordan Ferri and a club doctor were also interviewed, although Bessone said the former “didn’t want to file a complaint”.

An investigation has been opened but no-one was arrested at the Armand Cesari stadium.

A hardcore section of home fans had targeted Lyon’s players as they warmed up before the game, causing it to be delayed by more than 50 minutes, and then again as the two sides went in at half-time.

Bottom-of-the-table Bastia are likely to have points deducted for the latest trouble involving their supporters.

They were punished in February over racist abuse directed at Nice striker Mario Balotelli while the Nice team bus had its windows smashed.

It was the second time in four days that Lyon had been caught up in fan violence.

Their Europa League home quarter-final against Besiktas on Thursday had been delayed by 45 minutes following another pitch invasion by Lyon fans trying to escape projectiles and firecrackers being thrown at them by the Turkish side’s supporters in the tribune above.