This Saturday, November 23, 2024, at 9 p.m., Stade de Reims hosts Olympique Lyonnais at Delaune. A high-stakes football match since a victory would propel the Marnais, currently seventh, to the top of the Ligue 1 standings.
1000 Lyonnais expected at the Delaune stadium
The Marne prefecture decided to secure the meeting, for which “Approximately 19,000 spectators” are expected according to her, in order to avoid any overflow. She thus issued an order to supervise the arrival of 1000 Lyon supporters, including “around 950 ultras” will make the trip, says his services. This recalls the precedents which link the two clubs. That of April 6, 2013, which had seen, “the day before the match against Lyon, a fight was organized near Reims, pitting Lyon hooligans, reinforced by a few Messins, against groups of ultras from Reims helped by several Valenciennes residents.” Those also linked to the match of April 26, 2015, which had experienced several scheduled episodes of violence, such as a “fight organized in a forest near Reims” and several fights.
“In view of these precedents and the antagonisms that may exist between the ultras of the two clubs, it is appropriate to take all necessary measures to avoid excesses of supporters and prevent any disturbance of public order”underline the services of the prefecture.
Prohibited perimeter and police escort
This Saturday, November 23, “any person claiming to be a Lyon supporter or behaving as such” is therefore prohibited from driving in the city center of Reims and around the Auguste-Delaune stadium. Buses and minibuses of OL supporters will only be able to travel to the meeting location from 7 p.m., only under police escort after having gone to the meeting point set by the authorities.
While waiting for this time, several groups of Lyonnais have decided to stop on the road, upstream of Reims, in order to wait among supporters without contravening the prefectural decree. The town of Châlons-en-Champagne was chosen as the rallying point. Up to 700 OL fans are expected from 3:30 p.m. They planned to eat in town before being able to reach the city of coronations, supervised by the authorities, in complete safety.
This is not the first time that groups of supporters, from Ligue 1 or traveling for international matches, have come to wait in the prefectural city. Each time, no overflow was observed.
