Lyon have announced that their fans will temporarily be prevented from attending away games after crowd trouble saw their Coupe de France tie at Paris FC abandoned.
The last 64 clash at the Charlety stadium in the French capital was suspended in the second half, with the scoreline 1-1 after goals from Paris FC's Gaetan Laura and Lyon's Moussa Dembele.
Supporters appeared to be fighting in the stands and several flares were thrown before a number of fans made their way onto the pitch, stopping the game from continuing.
It was the second time a game involving Lyon has had to be ended prematurely of late, with their Ligue 1 game at home to Marseille on November 21 also called off after a spectator threw a bottle that struck Dimitri Payet, leading to Lyon being docked a point as punishment.
Lyon released a statement on Saturday explaining their intention to identify the individuals responsible and serve them with lifetime stadium bans, and explained that supporters will not be allowed at away matches while the investigation is taking place.
"From Friday evening, Olympique Lyonnais made itself available to investigators and authorities so that light is shed on all the acts committed during this evening and that responsibilities are established, whether [an] agricultural bomb inside the parking lot at the start of half-time, smoke bombs, violence and the invasion of the ground," the club statement read.
"Olympique Lyonnais will assume all of its responsibilities and is now showing an extreme determination to see the people involved, whatever their club membership, be sanctioned.
"Thus, Olympique Lyonnais has decided to file a complaint after this outbreak of violence and will take the most severe measures against the people involved after the identifications, including against the Lyon supporters who would be concerned.
"Olympique Lyonnais security teams have already started to analyse all the images and will use all the tools at their disposal to punish each person who is identified. Olympique Lyonnais will apply with force and determination the maximum penalties, including the stadium ban for life.
"The individuals involved have no place in a stadium, violence can no longer be tolerated in the stadiums. These must be the subject of technological adjustments and be better organized to identify the troublemakers. Violence must be firmly condemned by all football players, including groups of supporters.
"More than ever, we must eradicate these phenomena of hooliganism and banish all those who are enemies, by their acts, of football, but also of the clubs they claim to be.
"In this context, until further notice, and until light is shed on the identification of the perpetrators, Olympique Lyonnais decides to ban groups of supporters for away matches."
France Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet explained that the disciplinary committee would meet to discuss potential courses of action to deal with the problem in French football.
"We are waiting to have all the elements before communicating," Le Graet said to RMC Sport. "Obviously, I deplore these incidents which are disastrous.
"I do not want to get into the controversy. Monday, all the teams of the Federation will be at work. The disciplinary committee should meet that same day, after discussions with our legal department."
Dewsbury-Hall: Maresca will surprise people at Chelsea
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall believes new Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca will "surprise a lot of people" when they watch the Blues this season.
The Italian led Leicester City straight back to the Premier League as Championship winners in his only season in charge and succeeds Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge.
The Foxes topped the second division table with 98 points, with Dewsbury-Hall a key figure in his squad as he netted 12 goals and provided 14 assists last season – his best tally in a single campaign.
Dewsbury-Hall was also named Leicester's Player and Players' Player of the Year.
The midfielder made the switch to West London earlier this month for £30million and is confident that Maresca will have Chelsea challenging for trophies in no time.
"The manager was a big catalyst in wanting me to come," Dewsbury-Hall told BBC Sport.
"I knew from Leicester, a club that went down and had a lot of problems, how he managed to galvanise that if everyone manages to buy into the system.
"I genuinely think in a short space of time we can be pushing for minimum top four - but more than that.
"He may be unknown for a lot of people, but he is top, top level. He will surprise a lot of people."
Chelsea's pre-season got off to a frustrating start as they were held to a 2-2 draw by League One side Wrexham in Maresca's first game in charge on Wednesday.
Dewsbury-Hall did not play in that match but is training with the squad in the United States and could feature in their next outing against Celtic on Saturday.
The 25-year-old is confident the manager's tactics will come across soon, with the players buying into his style.
"We've only been doing it for two or three weeks, but the combination plays are really quick and tidy," he added.
"That's after two weeks. I remember he said to us at Leicester after six months or a year, there might be teething problems at the start, but it will improve.
"Within the first week at Leicester, I was convinced this was top, top level. I felt a bit stupid; I thought I knew a lot about football, but he was teaching me things on a daily basis that I didn't really know before. He has an aura, he can be strict, or gentle and soft - he has both sides.
"I am getting the same feedback here with the lads. They've bought into it here from minute one which is exciting. With a system and philosophy, you need everyone to buy in because, if they do, you can really achieve something."
“The favourite is Thompson”-Boldon highlights Jamaican champion as man to beat in 100m in Paris
Trinidadian four-time Olympic medallist Ato Boldon has named Jamaican sprinting sensation Kishane Thompson as his favourite to take 100m gold at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Thompson, 23, is currently the world leader in the event after running a personal best 9.77 to win the 100m title at the JAAA/Puma National Senior Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston in June.
The MVP Track Club-trained sprinter also produced times of 9.82 and 9.84 in the heats and semi-finals, respectively, at those national championships and, most recently, ran 9.91 shutting down to win at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial in Hungary on July 9.
“Thompson is the favourite,” Boldon said in an interview with LetsRundotcom on YouTube on Friday.
“I know Noah (Lyles) is the World champion. I think Noah made it a little bit more interesting by running that 9.81 into a headwind which kind of almost converts to a 9.77 but there’s no way you can look at the way in which Thompson ran that 9.77 and just go ‘Oh Noah will beat him.’ Noah has his hands full with that guy,” Boldon said.
Blazing speed acknowledged, one thing that Thompson lacks that his other competitors don’t is experience competing at the highest level of the sport with this being his first time representing Jamaica at any level.
If there is anything to prevent Thompson from delivering on the form that he’s shown so far this season, Boldon believes that would be this lack of experience on a stage like the Olympic Games compared to his peers.
“There are things which I see people completely ignoring. Kishane Thompson has not been under the microscope of Olympic favourite. Rounds are a great equalizer. Noah has the medals that he does because of how well he runs rounds. Is Noah suddenly a lock for the silver? No but he does have his hands full,” he said.
“There are others who are going to be in the 100m that are used to the pressure and pressure is a big thing. If he’s able to pull this off, you write books about stuff like that,” he added.
Thompson's quest for Olympic glory will begin in the heats of the men's 100m beginning on Saturday' August 3.
Ederson slams reports of rift with Man City backup Ortega
Ederson has hit out at reports of a rift between himself and fellow Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.
The Brazilian was substituted after suffering a fractured eye socket in City's penultimate game of the Premier League season, a vital 1-0 win over Tottenham.
Ortega replaced him and made a brilliant save to deny Son Heung-min as City maintained their slender lead over Arsenal at the top of the table, sealing an unprecedented fourth straight title by beating West Ham five days later.
Ortega was widely lauded for his role in that triumph, and an article published by The Athletic this week suggested Ederson took issue with that praise.
However, the goalkeeper – who missed the Copa America as a result of his injury – has now moved to shut down those suggestions with a post to his Instagram story.
"I would like to clarify that the note published by The Athletic yesterday, referring to my alleged dissatisfaction with a co-worker, is completely false," he wrote.
"The alleged day reported was, without a doubt, one of the most difficult days of my career, when I suffered a fracture that prevented me from playing in the final stretch of the season and, consequently, from representing my country in the Copa America.
"At the time of the injury, my only thought was to continue in the match, defending City in the fight for the title.
"But the emotion of the match would be greater than the reality and, inevitably, I would not be able to continue as I would have liked due to the damage it caused, completely blocking my field of vision. I remain focused on preparing for the season."
Ederson has been linked with a transfer in recent days, reportedly attracting interest from Saudi Pro League clubs.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
