Mason Greenwood has been banned by UEFA, and a former Arsenal player has also received a big suspension and fine.
Mason Greenwood and Matteo Guendouzi have both been hit with penalties by UEFA for making “offensive gestures” during Fenerbahce’s intense Champions League win over Lyon.
Fenerbahce won 3-2 on aggregate in the play-off, securing their spot in the league stage. The Turkish team clinched it with a 2-1 away win at the Groupama Stadium, thanks to first-half goals from Vedat Muriqi and Archie Brown.
But trouble broke out right at the end of the match. Guendouzi, who used to play for Marseille, was booed all game, and his emotions got the better of him as he seemed to taunt the fans. He shouted “Allez l’OM” to the camera to show his support for Marseille and even flipped off the crowd.
This led to players from both teams confronting each other, sparking a chaotic fight in the tunnel after the game. Greenwood, who joined Fenerbahce from Manchester United this summer, was also involved and is under UEFA investigation.
Greenwood received a one-match suspended ban—meaning he won’t miss a match unless he offends again within a year—and was fined £26,000 for “violating basic rules of decent conduct.”
Guendouzi faced a harsher punishment. He was fined £43,000 and handed a four-game ban, with two games suspended during a one-year probation for “insulting others, provoking fans, and violating basic conduct rules.” This means he will miss Fenerbahce’s Champions League matches against Roma and Aston Villa.
Guendouzi explained that he felt disrespected by Lyon fans, who insulted his family, including his mother, throughout the match. He said, “When you’ve got 60,000 people insulting your family—even before the match—and no referee asks them to stop, it really affects you.”
He added, “If you want to banter, it should go both ways. They insulted my family, and to me, that’s disrespectful.”
Fenerbahce hinted they might appeal the sanctions, saying they are reviewing UEFA’s decisions and will take legal steps if needed.
Both clubs were fined £42,000 for breaking general conduct rules, but Lyon’s goalkeeping coach Antonio Ferreira faced the toughest punishment: a five-game ban for what UEFA called a “serious assault,” with two games suspended.