On August 27, 2026, the Champions League playoff second leg between Lyon and Fenerbahce descended into chaos as Matteo Guendouzi sparked a mass brawl with his provocative celebrations. The former Marseille midfielder (2021-2024) was already public enemy number one among Lyon fans, and he made sure to return their hostility with interest. During the warm-up, as the home crowd showered him with abuse, Guendouzi responded by raising his middle finger to the stands. After the final whistle confirmed Fenerbahce's 2-1 victory on the night and a 3-2 aggregate win — their first Champions League group-stage qualification since 2008-09 — the Frenchman sprinted towards the Lyon supporters, repeated the middle-finger gesture, grabbed his crotch, and shouted 'Allez l'OM!' into a pitchside camera. Lyon players immediately sprinted towards him, barging into him and sparking a mass melee on the pitch. As Guendouzi was being escorted towards the tunnel by teammates Romelu Lukaku and Milan Škriniar, Lyon goalkeeper coach Antonio Ferreira emerged and launched a flying kick at the midfielder, triggering another all-out brawl involving over 20 players and staff members. Speaking afterwards, Guendouzi defended himself: 'They insulted my mother, my family, my children for over 90 minutes. If you want to tease, it goes both ways.' Lyon captain Corentin Tolisso called Guendouzi's actions 'irresponsible': 'We get insulted every weekend when we're away, you can't react like that. You have to remain humble in victory.' UEFA are expected to launch a disciplinary investigation. Match statistics: Lyon had 59% possession, registered 15 shots to Fenerbahce's 10, and completed 84% of their passes against 75%. But it was Guendouzi who stole the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
