Guendouzi and Greenwood Face UEFA Disciplinary Case Over Gestures to Lyon Fans

A raised middle finger, a shout of "Allez l'OM" and a Lyon crowd boiling over. That's the scene that's about to cost Mattéo Guendouzi and Mason Greenwood, now that UEFA has decided to open a disciplinary case against them over their gestures toward the home fans during the Champions League access playoff.

Fenerbahce itself confirmed Thursday that both players had been charged by European soccer's governing body, though the Turkish club did not specify the exact charges they face. Still, it made clear where it stands, saying it would "protect the rights and interests" of its players and the institution.

To understand the anger of the French fans, you have to look at the recent past of both players: Guendouzi and Greenwood both wore the jersey of Olympique de Marseille, Lyon's historic rival. That rivalry showed, and showed hard, in the second leg of the tie.

Guendouzi himself was at the center of the most heated moments. He flashed the middle finger at Lyon fans during the warmup and again at the final whistle, screamed "Allez l'OM" at the top of his lungs, and even grabbed his crotch amid the chaos that broke out after the final whistle. The midfielder defended himself afterward, saying the home fans had insulted his family before and during the match.

Lyon fans insulted my family before and during the match.Mattéo Guendouzi

The soccer context matters here: Fenerbahce won 2-1 in the second leg played on French soil, a result that was enough to send them into the Champions League group stage for the first time in 18 years. It's a major achievement for a club that has endured tough years domestically, having not won the Turkish league since 2014 and trailing behind its archrival, Galatasaray.

The question now is whether UEFA will have time to resolve the case and hand down a sanction before Fenerbahce's group stage debut. The schedule is tight: the Turkish side hosts Roma next Thursday and then travels to face Aston Villa on October 14.

An ambitious project that also brought noise

Guendouzi and Greenwood arrived in Istanbul in the last transfer window as part of a heavy investment by the club, which sought to bolster its roster with big names. Also joining that list were Romelu Lukaku and Nathan Aké, both after their World Cup runs, in addition to the signing of N'Golo Kanté in February. The idea was clear: claw back ground in Turkey and compete on equal footing in Europe. What nobody expected was that the team's first big European headline would have more to do with a disciplinary case than with anything shown on the field.