# Marseille vs. Lyon Match Postponed After Coach Attacked on Way to Stadium
The Ligue 1 match between Marseille and Lyon was postponed on Sunday after the Lyon team coach was attacked on its way to the stadium. The incident occurred just before the match was due to kick off at 19:45 GMT, with thousands of fans already inside the ground.
According to AFP, the Lyon coach was hit by rocks on its way to Stade Velodrome. The incident resulted in Lyon boss Fabio Grosso being injured, prompting the referee Francois Letexier to postpone the game.
“We took into account Lyon’s desires for the match not to take place,” said Letexier at a news conference.
The incident has been met with shock and dismay from football experts and fans alike. French football expert Julien Laurens, writing on Twitter, described it as a “terrible image for French football”.
“What a scandalous mess,” he added. “This is not the first time this has happened (and not the last sadly) but I have no words for this. Unacceptable again.”
The attack on the team coach is just the latest in a string of incidents that have marred French football in recent months. In October, a Ligue 1 match between Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille was postponed after PSG fans clashed with police outside the stadium.
The incident has prompted calls for greater security measures at football matches in France. The French Football Federation (FFF) has said it will work with clubs and local authorities to ensure that such incidents do not occur again.
In a statement, FFF president Noel Le Graet said: “We must take all necessary measures to ensure that such incidents are avoided in the future. The FFF will work with all stakeholders to ensure that security is improved at all matches.”
The incident has also raised questions about the safety of players and staff travelling to and from matches. The French Professional Football League (LFP) has said it will investigate the incident and take steps to ensure that such incidents do not occur again.
The LFP said in a statement: “We are deeply shocked by this incident and we will take all necessary measures to ensure that such incidents do not occur again. We will work with all stakeholders to ensure that security is improved at all matches.”
The postponement of the Marseille vs. Lyon match is yet another reminder of the need for greater security measures at football matches in France. The FFF and LFP have both pledged to take action to ensure that such incidents do not occur again, but it remains to be seen whether these measures will be effective in preventing future attacks on team coaches.