Lyon football team bus attacked and manager injured as nine people arrested by French police
Nine people have been arrested after a bus carrying the Lyon football team was attacked, leaving the manager injured, French police say.
The incident happened as the vehicle was on its way to Marseille's stadium - Stade Velodrome - for a Ligue 1 match between the two sides. Some of the bus's windows were shattered.
Footage on social media on Sunday evening appeared to show stones being thrown at the bus.
Head coach Fabio Grosso was pictured on a stretcher and with a bloodied face after being hit by falling shards of glass.
He suffered a deep cut above his left eye that needed stitches and had a large bandage wrapped around his head.
Assistant coach Raffaele Longo was also injured, while buses carrying Lyon fans were also attacked.
France's interior minister Gerald Darmanin said five police officers were injured.
The game was postponed after the incident and police are searching for other suspects.
Marseille issued a statement condemning the attack and wished 45-year-old Italian Grosso well.
"Olympique de Marseille deplores the unacceptable incidents which took place this evening around the Stade Velodrome, against the professional team bus as well as Olympique Lyonnais supporter buses," the OM statement read.
"The club wishes a speedy recovery to Lyon coach Fabio Grosso and strongly condemns this violent behaviour which has no place in the world of football and in society.
"Due to a handful of mindless people, the game planned for this evening was spoiled and deprived 65,000 supporters of attending a football match."
Since the attack took place outside Marseille's stadium, the responsibility lies with public authorities and not the club.
A French league committee in charge of scheduling competitions has taken over the case instead of the discipline commission.
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On Instagram, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said "there is absolutely no place for violence in soccer, on or off the pitch" and called on "the competent authorities to ensure that the appropriate measures are taken".
"Without exception, in soccer, all players, coaches and fans must be safe to enjoy our sport," Infantino added.
The Lyon manager is a former Italy international, having scored the winning penalty kick in the shootout over France at the 2006 World Cup final.
Grosso joined Lyon as manager in September, replacing Laurent Blanc.
But the team remain winless, sitting bottom of the table.
