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Olympique Lyon has canceled at least 437 tickets linked to Fenerbahce supporters ahead of Wednesday's Champions League playoff return at Groupama Stadium, tightening controls to prevent visiting fans from entering home sections.
The French club has increased its checks on ticket sales after the first leg ended 1-1, while France’s National Division for the Fight Against Hooliganism (DNLH) has classified the return match as a level 4 "high-risk match" on a five-level scale.
According to French newspaper Le Progres, about 2,000 visiting supporters are expected in the designated away section, along with 200 VIP guests, while Lyon is working with Fenerbahce to keep the official away allocation together.
Lyon initially reserved tickets for season-ticket holders who had purchased their passes before the second leg against Sparta Prague, the report noted. The club has also warned sellers that unauthorized resale can carry criminal consequences.
The report recalled the 2017 Lyon-Besiktas clash, when Lyon officials accused Turkish supporters of sparking violence inside and outside the stadium, including throwing fireworks and other objects toward home fans.
The unrest forced Lyon supporters onto the pitch and delayed the match by 45 minutes. UEFA later charged both clubs over the disturbances.
Fenerbahce will visit Lyon at 10:00 p.m. (GMT+3) on Wednesday for the second leg after the teams drew 1-1 in the first match.
Lyon took the lead through Lois Openda in the 40th minute, but Mason Greenwood equalized shortly after halftime. Fenerbahce controlled much of the second half and created several chances, but neither side found a winner.
The winner of the tie will advance to the 2026-27 Champions League group stage, while the defeated side will move into the Europa League group phase.
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