Lyon defender Marcelo tells team-mates he wants to leave the club and ‘fears for safety of his family’ after his OWN fans unveil banner labelling Brazilian a ‘donkey’
- Marcelo ‘told team-mates he wants to leave Lyon’ after abuse from supporters
- Brazilian defender ‘fears for his and family’s safety’ after being targeted
- A Lyon fan invaded the pitch with a banner describing him as a donkey
- Marcelo’s team-mate Memphis Depay ran over to confront the supporter
- The Brazilian is set to be sanctioned for making an obscene gesture at fans
Lyon’s Brazilian central defender Marcelo has ‘told his team-mates he wants to leave the club’ and that he is ‘very worried for the safety of his family’.
It came after a Lyon supporter ran onto the pitch holding a banner with a donkey on it and the message ‘Marcelo leave the club’ after Tuesday night’s Champions League match against RB Leipzig.
Lyon had fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with the German club to secure their passage to the knockout stages of the competition.
Lyon defender Marcelo was confronted by his own fans and a banner labelling him a ‘donkey’ after their 2-2 Champions League draw with RB Leipzig on Tuesday night
Marcelo responded with an angry gesture after fans singled him out for abuse once again
The Brazilian has made it clear he wishes to leave the club and fears for his family’s safety
Marcelo’s team-mate Memphis Depay ran over to try and grab the donkey banner from the fan
It is expected that Lyon will allow Marcelo to look for a new club in the January transfer window
But the mood soured after the final whistle when the fan evaded security to run onto the pitch with his derogatory banner.
Marcelo’s team-mate Memphis Depay went over to the pitch invader and tried to grab the banner before a scuffle ensued.
That led to other Lyon Ultras running to the pitchside before stewards and players intervened to defuse the situation.
Now, according to RMC, the incident has confirmed to Marcelo that he wants to leave Lyon as soon as possible for the good of his family and two children.
He reportedly expressed his desire to leave to team-mates in the dressing room post-match on Tuesday night and is concerned for his safety in the city.
Memphis Depay reacted angrily to a fan holding the banner labelling Marcelo a ‘donkey’
Depay ran over to the fan and grabbed the banner before a scuffle ensued by the touchline
Lyon Ultras ran down to the bottom of the stand before the situation was calmed down
Depay’s manager and team-mates ran over to pull Depay away and head down the tunnel
Marcelo had been previously targeted by a fan when the players returned to France following a 3-1 Champions League defeat to Benfica.
He is contracted to Lyon until 2021, but RMC report the club’s board will let him look for a new club when the January window opens.
In the meantime, he will be sanctioned by Lyon for reacting to the provocation with an obscene gesture.