UEFA has imposed serious sanctions on Fenerbahçe players Matteo Guendouzi (on the ground) and Mason Greenwood for their behavior after the second leg of their Champions League play-off against Olympique Lyonnais. The Turkish team won 2-1 in France and qualified for the main phase of the tournament with a 3-2 aggregate score, but the match ended in ugly scenes and a mass brawl between players and representatives of both teams.
Guendouzi received the heaviest punishment. The French midfielder has been fined 50,000 euros and has been sanctioned with a total of four matches off the field in UEFA club competitions. However, two of these matches are conditional and have been suspended for a one-year probationary period. So in practice he will miss Fenerbahçe's first two matches in the Champions League.
The reason for the sanction is related to provocations to the audience, insults to those present at the stadium and violation of the basic rules of conduct. Guendouzi, who previously wore the Marseille team, was at the center of tension with Lyon fans, and his relations with the supporters of the French club are particularly sensitive precisely because of the rivalry between Lyon and Marseille.
He will miss Fenerbahçe's home match against Roma, as well as the away match against Aston Villa. This is a serious blow for the Turkish team, which for the first time in 18 years will participate in the main phase of the Champions League.
Greenwood was also not spared. The striker was fined 30,000 euros and received a one-match ban, which is fully suspended for a period of one year. This means he will not be automatically suspended from an upcoming match unless he commits another offence during the probationary period.
There are sanctions for both clubs. Fenerbahçe has been fined a total of 95,000 euros for the use of pyrotechnics, crowd disturbances and breaches of the general rules of conduct. Lyon has been fined a total of 108,500 euros for throwing objects, pyrotechnics, disturbances and breaches of the disciplinary rules.
The punishment for Lyon's goalkeeping coach Antonio Ferreira is even more serious. He received a five-match ban for serious physical assault, two of which are suspended for a period of one year.
The incidents have tarnished Fenerbahçe's Champions League qualification. The Turks won the second leg 2-1 after the first leg had ended 1-1, but after the final whistle, tensions escalated. It was Guendouzi and Greenwood's actions towards the home crowd that became the subject of disciplinary proceedings, Reuters reports.