Depay's Disaster

This article also featured on Guardian Sport.

Y’all not ready yet, Got so much heat for everyone who wants that clash!!!” When Memphis Depay sent that tweet a week ago, he was promoting his latest rap effort. Little did he know his words would turn out to be oddly prescient about his career as a footballer. Depay has been on fire lately. His goal against RB Leipzig on Tuesday night was his 14th in 17 games. It was also enough to take Lyon into the last-16 of the Champions League. But that goal was quickly followed by white-hot rage as Depay confronted a Lyon ultra after the game and ignited a pitchside scuffle.

Sadly, Depay’s week only went downhill from there. He suffered a season-ending knee injury on Sunday afternoon as a sterile Lyon side were beaten at home by Rennes. Without Depay’s spark, Lyon are unlikely to beat Juventus in the last-16 of this season’s Champions League or perform well enough in Ligue 1 to qualify for the competition next season.

Depay might be the only positive for Lyon in 2019. At the end of last season, Lyon president Jean Michel Aulas decided against renewing Bruno Génésio’s contract after an abject defeat to Rennes in the semi-final of the Coupe de France. That decision took the club from one turbulent reign into two more. There was excitement when club legend Juninho Pernabucano returned as sporting director and appointed Sylvinho as coach, but that optimism was short-lived. Aulas removed Sylvinho after just 141 days in charge. He and other Lyon board members wanted to appoint Laurent Blanc, but Juninho parachuted in the uninspiring Rudi Garcia. The supporters did not approve.

Lyon’s fans – and in particular their ultra groups – are at the centre of the club’s winter of discontent. A vitriolic atmosphere developed at the Parc OL last season under Génésio and, while there was obvious goodwill when Juninho made a surprise return, Garcia was greeted with boos and understandable consternation given his recent failure at fierce rivals Marseille. That anger, intensified by dour football and average results, spilled on to the field after their draw against Leipzig in midweek. One supporter stood beside the pitch with a banner that depicted centre-back Marcelo as a donkey and asked him to leave the club.

Depay, installed as captain by Garcia, reacted angrily to the pitch invader and tried to remove his banner. Lyon defender Jason Denayer restrained him as stewards, fans and players converged. When asked how he felt after the game, Depay did not hold back. “Look at me! What do you see? Anger? I’m furious. I’m angry. I don’t really know what to say.” Depay also claimed a fan had spat at him. “It is extremely difficult for a team to play knowing that one of us is in conflict with the supporters, that he is not supported by our fans. What do you expect? We thank supporters who insult our families? I ran after the supporter with the banner to tell him: ‘Stop! Calm down, put this annoying banner down for everyone’s sake.”

Footage seems to support his description of events and Aulas supported the player wholeheartedly. “Memphis Depay showed his extraordinary character and that he is an exemplary captain,” said Aulas. “He did what I would have done. When you boo a player after having secured qualification, you should not be in the stadium.” Garcia agreed, saying of Depay: “He’s a real captain and he has acted and spoken like a captain.”

Despite that show of unity, chaos continues to reign. Bizarrely, Aulas said on Wednesday that he “regrets” the departure of the much criticised Génésio. “Maybe I made a small mistake. Did I do the right thing? I listened to the supporters’ groups. Maybe I did not do right by the institution.” Marcelo – who was sanctioned by the club for making an obscene gesture towards the stands after the donkey incident – supposedly told teammates he wants to leave as soon as possible as he fears for his family’s safety.

The club have only avoided a complete capitulation this season due to Depay. He has carried them on the pitch, scoring nine goals in Ligue 1 and one in each of his five Champions League appearances. His importance was again underlined on Sunday. He was forced off at half time due to injury and his team duly fell to a late 1-0 defeat against Rennes. The club confirmed after the game that both Depay and their big summer signing, Jeff Reine-Adélaïde, had ruptured ACLs. It’s difficult to see how Garcia can challenge in the league and push on in the Champions League without them. Losing two key attacking players is a special, twisted kind of bad luck, but perhaps Lyon fans should question the club’s decision to demote fitness coaches Antonin Da Fonseca and Dimitri Farbos from the first team upon Garcia’s arrival.

Lyon’s swift collapse this season has been remarkable. Things looked very bright in the summer. Juninho was back at the club and they were in a position of unpredicted financial strength after mammoth sales of Tanguy Ndombele and Ferland Mendy this summer, which brought in more than €100m. That optimism feels very distant now.

Garcia has zero capital with fans, with ultras continuing to protest at every turn. It is not clear whether Juninho or Aulas is in control. The squad lacks the quality of previous seasons. Their recruitment policy remains in flux, with head scout Florian Maurice seemingly sidelined. The club is facing an identity crisis from the president downwards and, without the inspirational Depay for the rest of the season, the worst may yet be to come.

by Adam White

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