Bastia vs Lyon: Ligue 1 match called off as home supporters attack Lyon players in disgraceful scenes
Ultras from the Corsican club spilled onto the pitch and swung punches at the Lyon players
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Just an hour earlier, Lyon players had been attacked by Bastia supporters as they warmed up for their Ligue 1 clash at the Armand Cesari - delaying kick-off by nearly an hour with the visiting players originally refusing to play the fixture.
When they trudged off at half-time under the Corsican sun, it begun again. That would be the end.
Goalkeeper Anthony Lopes was confronted as he left the field at half-time, even being kicked by a local steward. The players who had been reluctant to even fulfil the fixture were now adamant. This was it. Game off.
The first hint of trouble was pre-match, when the official Twitter account for Olympique Lyonnais claimed "Bastia supporters have entered the field to square up to Lyon players who were finishing their warm-up."
And videos of the incident show one supporter running on the field to confront former Manchester United winger Memphis Depay, then all hell breaking loose as fans streamed from the stand behind the goal to take aim at Lyon's players - including back-up goalkeeper Mathieu Gorgelin, who was hit by a home fan.
Former Lyon defender and OL TV pundit Jeremie Berthod witnessed the attack and said: "the Bastia supporters have thrown balls at Gorgelin's goal. Memphis threw them back at them and has then been confronted by lots of Bastia supporters.
"The players have quickly huddled together, they and the staff are very shocked.
"Still angry, none of them want to leave the changing room to play this game."
Bastia urged the away side to take part and, after some convincing, the mainlanders kicked off around an hour after the scheduled 17.00CET start.
But after the incidents going into the break, Lyon's patience had been exhausted. They would not be completing the fixture amid images they described as "shocking."
It has been a turbulent week for the Lyon players, who witnessed crowd violence as their Europa League quarter-final was delayed by 45 minutes on Thursday night.
Fans spilt onto the pitch and projectiles were thrown in disturbing scenes.
Lyon boss Bruno Genesio condemned the events: "it is distressing to see such incidents.
"This is the reverse of what should happen.
"We are here to give pleasure to people and not to see that. You had to stay focused."
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