Matteo Guendouzi was the focus of a fiery post-match confrontation after Fenerbahce edged out Lyon 2-1 in the return leg of their Champions League play-off.
The final whistle triggered wild scenes, as players and coaching staff from both clubs collided on the pitch before the conflict carried over into the tunnel area.
Guendouzi, who played for Marseille, Lyon’s bitter rivals, from 2021 to 2024, seemed to deliberately stir the home supporters after Fenerbahce sealed a 3-2 aggregate win.
Guendouzi winds up Lyon fans
The former Arsenal man had been jeered relentlessly by the Lyon faithful all evening. As emotions boiled over at the end, his Fenerbahce teammates were spotted attempting to pull him away from the fracas.
Guendouzi was later filmed yelling “Allez l’OM” into a pitchside camera, a direct nod to his old club Marseille.
Clips shared on social media also seemed to show an individual in Lyon attire confronting the French international as he moved toward the tunnel. Security staff and members of both benches then jumped into the fray.
A scuffle then broke out in the tunnel, though it is still unclear who the person challenging Guendouzi was.
Fenerbahce secures Champions League group stage spot
The disorder followed Fenerbahce’s successful push to advance. After a 1-1 stalemate in the first leg, Vedat Muriqi and Archie Brown found the net for the Turkish outfit in Lyon.
Malick Fofana reduced the deficit in the second half, but his strike was insufficient to alter the tie as Fenerbahce triumphed 2-1 on the night and moved through 3-2 on aggregate.
That result sends Fenerbahce into the Champions League for the first time since the 2008-09 campaign, capping a long-awaited return to Europe’s elite club tournament.
Guendouzi addresses the celebration controversy
In his post-match remarks to the media, Guendouzi stated he felt “disrespected” by the Lyon supporters, alleging that insults were directed at his relatives.
“If we cannot celebrate in our own way afterwards, I find that disappointing,” Guendouzi said.
He went on to claim that roughly 60,000 spectators had insulted his family, including his mother and children, both before and during the match. The midfielder also questioned why the officiating crew had not stepped in to ask the crowd to stop.
Guendouzi noted that in France, similar situations can lead to referees addressing the fans and potentially halting play.
Kartal rallies behind Guendouzi
Fenerbahce boss Ismail Kartal showed support for the midfielder when asked about the incident in his own press conference.
“As a unit, we all stood together to back Guendouzi,” Kartal said. “That backing was there. That is what being a team means.”
Focus now shifts to the Champions League league phase draw, which is set for Thursday in Monaco at 17:00 BST.
Fenerbahce will be one of the 36 clubs waiting to learn their opponents after their hard-fought qualification.