Lyon Furious After Controversial Derby Loss to Saint-Étienne

Olympique Lyonnais endured a frustrating end to an already disappointing week, suffering a contentious 2-1 defeat to local rivals AS Saint-Étienne in the Rhône Derby on Sunday night. The match was overshadowed by controversial refereeing decisions and crowd disturbances.

The first major incident occurred midway through the first half when Saint-Étienne’s Lucas Stassin, who had already scored, made a dangerous tackle on Lyon’s Corentin Tolisso. Referee François Letexier initially showed a red card but changed it to yellow after VAR review, much to Lyon’s dismay. Tolisso had to be stretchered off, and Lyon owner John Textor later claimed that Letexier admitted to making a mistake in not sticking with the original red card decision.

Adding insult to injury, Stassin went on to score the winning goal in Saint-Étienne’s 2-1 victory. Lyon’s assistant coach Jorge Maciel expressed his frustration post-match, stating it was ridiculous to see a player who should have been sent off being named man of the match.

The game was further marred by a 20-minute interruption just before halftime when a projectile from the stands struck a linesman. Maciel condemned the incident, emphasizing the need for a safe stadium environment despite the intense rivalry.

This defeat has dealt a blow to Lyon’s UEFA Champions League aspirations, leaving them in sixth place, two points behind fourth-placed Lille OSC. The controversial nature of the loss has only heightened the team’s disappointment following their recent elimination from the UEFA Europa League by Manchester United.