Lyon won 5-0 at St Etienne in the Rhône derby an encounter that featured freewheeling attacking football, a sublime display from Nabil Fékir, violence and riot police on the pitch.
Lyon are up to third in Ligue 1, just three points behind champions Monaco, despite an inconsistent start to the campaign. They have scored 32 goals in their first 12 matches but their performances have lacked the control and assuredness provided by the departed Alexandre Lacazette, Corentin Tolisso and Maxime Gonalons.
With St Etienne already routed, Fékir rounded off one of the host’s worst nights in their recent history and angered St Etienne ultras in the process. Lyon’s captain scored the fifth goal on the night – his 11th in the league this season – and then removed his shirt and held it up for the St Etienne fans to see, mirroring the now iconic image of Lionel Messi at the Bernabéu.
The St Étienne ultras were not impressed. Some of them vaulted barriers surrounding the pitch before the game could restart, forcing swathes of riot police to enter the fray and block their advance. Lyon players swiftly exited before referee Clément Turpin led the remaining St Etienne players off with four minutes to play. St Etienne ultras have a chequered recent history; after violence erupted in last season’s derby they were banned for the visit of Rennes but broke into the ground to watch the match, which was meant to be played behind closed doors.
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