Lyon has announced that only part of the stands will be open for their Europa League match against Beşiktaş, and fans of the visiting team, Beşiktaş, are prohibited from gathering in central Lyon and other areas.
Lyon’s caution is understandable. In April 2017, when the two teams met in the Europa League, violent clashes broke out between supporters before the match near the stadium. Many fans sought refuge inside the stadium, causing the game to start an hour late, with chaos both inside and outside the venue. Beşiktaş fans threw smoke bombs and engaged in fights with Lyon fans and police. Even before the match, two Turkish fans vandalized a Lyon fan store in anger over sold-out tickets. The incident resulted in fines and bans for both teams.
Seven years later, as the two teams meet again, it is clear that tensions remain high. Lyon has announced that only 30,000 seats (out of the 58,000 capacity at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais) will be available, with priority given to the club’s 28,000 members. The match has been classified as extremely high risk, and neither the city of Lyon nor the club wants to see a repeat of the 2017 fiasco.
