Mattéo Guendouzi has broken his silence after his celebrations and gestures towards Lyon supporters helped spark chaotic scenes following Fenerbahçe’s Champions League win.
Guendouzi explains why he provoked Lyon fans before the fight
Mattéo Guendouzi has explained the controversial actions that helped ignite chaotic scenes after Fenerbahçe eliminated Lyon from the Champions League.
The former Marseille midfielder became the centre of attention both before and after the match after making provocative gestures towards Lyon supporters and celebrating directly in front of them following Fenerbahçe’s victory.
Guendouzi has now claimed his reaction came after members of the crowd repeatedly insulted his family throughout the evening.
Guendouzi clashes with Lyon supporters before kick-off
Tension began before the match had even started.
Guendouzi was loudly booed during the warm-up because of his previous spell with Marseille, one of Lyon’s biggest rivals.
The midfielder then responded by making an offensive hand gesture towards sections of the home crowd.
The incident immediately increased the hostility surrounding him and set the tone for what followed after full-time.
Fenerbahçe eliminate Lyon
Fenerbahçe went on to beat Lyon 2-1 in the second leg, securing a 3-2 aggregate victory and a place in the next stage of the Champions League.
After the final whistle, Guendouzi celebrated towards the Lyon supporters instead of immediately joining his teammates.
He made a gesture associated with Marseille culture and was also heard shouting “Allez l’OM!” towards the cameras.
Given the rivalry between Lyon and Marseille, the celebration was immediately viewed as a deliberate provocation.
Post-match scenes descend into chaos
Several Lyon players reacted angrily to Guendouzi’s celebration.
Pavel Šulc and Ruben Kluivert were among those who approached the Fenerbahçe midfielder as tempers quickly escalated.
Players and staff from both teams then became involved in a heated confrontation on the pitch.
The situation reportedly continued near the tunnel, where another clash broke out as the two groups attempted to leave the field.
Video footage does not clearly establish responsibility for every action during the confrontation, meaning it would be inaccurate to place the entire blame for the brawl on Guendouzi alone.
Guendouzi says his family was insulted
Speaking after the match, Guendouzi defended his behaviour and claimed Lyon supporters had repeatedly targeted his family.
The French midfielder said insults were directed at his mother and other members of his family during the warm-up and throughout the game.
Guendouzi argued that if supporters were allowed to provoke him for more than 90 minutes, he should also be allowed to respond after winning the match.
He described his own celebration as a form of teasing rather than an attempt to create a serious confrontation.
There was no apology from Guendouzi for the post-match celebration.
Tolisso calls Guendouzi “irresponsible”
Lyon captain Corentin Tolisso strongly disagreed with Guendouzi’s explanation.
Tolisso said he told the midfielder to celebrate with his own team and show more humility after winning.
The Lyon captain described Guendouzi’s reaction as “irresponsible” and argued that professional players cannot respond to crowd abuse in that manner.
According to Tolisso, hostile comments from opposition supporters are common in football and should not lead to players provoking the crowd after matches.
Fenerbahçe stand behind Guendouzi
Fenerbahçe, however, have publicly supported their midfielder.
The Turkish club’s coach praised the squad for protecting Guendouzi when the confrontation broke out and presented the reaction as an example of team unity.
The contrasting reactions have created two very different versions of the incident.
Lyon believe Guendouzi unnecessarily escalated an already emotional situation, while the player insists his actions were a response to sustained personal abuse.
Could UEFA punish Guendouzi?
Attention is now turning towards possible disciplinary consequences.
There is currently no official UEFA punishment against Guendouzi, but his pre-match gesture towards the crowd and the post-match confrontation could potentially be reviewed.
Some commentators in France have already called for a suspension, although those opinions should not be confused with an official disciplinary decision.
For now, Guendouzi remains at the centre of one of the most controversial moments of the Champions League qualifiers. What began with boos from the stands ended with provocation, a mass confrontation and a public war of words after the final whistle.
