Lyon v Marseille Abandoned When Dimitri Payet Is Called

Sunday’s Ligue 1 match between Lyon and Marseille was abandoned after Dimitri Payet was thrown from the stands by a shard of a bottle in the fifth minute of the match.

Almost two hours after the match was paused, it was officially suspended.

This is the second time this season Payet has been calloused in a series of incidents in French football.

Marseille’s match at Nice in August was abandoned when the former West Ham midfielder threw a bottle back into the crowd, sending fans rushing onto the pitch.

Nice received two points, one of which was suspended and Payet was banned for one match.

Marseille midfielder Valentin Roniger suffered a cut to his lip when he was touched by a bottle in the season opener at Montpellier.

And the second half of the Northern derby between RC Lens and Lille in September was postponed for about half an hour after opposing fans threw objects at each other. People then ran into the yard, prompting riot police and management to intervene.

The latest incident in Lyon came when Payet was about to take a corner and he left the Groupama pitch with an ice pack on his head.

Shortly after the incident, a stadium announcement said one person had been arrested and the game would resume, but warned that further trouble would result in a disqualification.

It looked as though the game would return when Lyon’s players took to the field to warm up, but Marseille’s players never surfaced and at around 21:40 GMT, the game was adjourned.

Lyon chief executive Jean-Michel Aulas said the club sent Payet “our apologies” and added “the culprit was immediately reported and arrested. It was an act of isolation.” .

“Our players followed Mr. Buquet’s orders by returning to the warm-up,” he said. “Then the referee changed his mind so they went back to the dressing room. They wisely waited for the decision and followed it.”