Manchester United fans were pepper sprayed by police in Lyon after their side’s 2-2 draw in the Europa League. United supporters were kept behind for an hour at Lyon’s Groupama Stadium after the final whistle.
Several posted footage on social media of the after-effects of the police’s decision to spray them. Around 2,800 United fans who made the journey claimed police used pepper spray on them when some decided to leave their section for away fans and go to the toilet.
One supporter who posted footage of the aftermath said fans were being sick because of the effects of the spray, with others describing the heavy-handed tactics of police at the game as “unacceptable”.
A United fan at the game said: “This is completely unacceptable. Time and time again, we are subjected to substandard treatment while away in Europe. It has to end. Today has been nothing short of chaotic, with issues surrounding the shuttles, the wristbands, and now this.”
United are understood to be looking into the matter, while the Manchester United Supporters Trust has urged fans to send any footage of the tear gassing to them. The group’s CEO also hit out at the tactics of the police in Lyon.
Duncan Drasdo tweeted: “90% of the time on Euro aways if there is aggro it’s with the police rather than local fans. Most countries can do this right but there are almost always problems with the French police. All too often they create the aggro they are supposed to be preventing.”
It was a night of frustration for United, with keeper Andre Onana making two massive blunders to throw away a win. The visitors went behind after 25 minutes when Onana failed to get a strong enough hand to Thiago Almada’s wide free-kick.
Leny Yoro equalised in the final seconds of the first half by reacting quickly to Manuel Ugarte’s volley and diverting the ball into the bottom corner. Joshua Zirkzee headed in what he thought was a winner two minutes from time.
But, with the last play before the final whistle, Onana spilled Georges Mikautadze’s shot and Rayan Cherki tapped in on the rebound. Amorim refused to pile onto Onana after the game, with the second leg to come at Old Trafford next week.
“Of course we are really disappointed. We should have taken the one-goal advantage to the next game, but we have the next game in our home and we try to win that game,” Amorim said.
“It’s important to focus on the next game. The next game is the league, then we think about the second leg against Lyon. When one player has a mistake, every player has a mistake, so we continue like that.
“It’s going to be a tough game. We know Lyon want to make connections near their box and then use the space. We have to study the game and then try to be better in the second leg. We are going to look at the game, but it’s a different game.
“We have to be prepared but it’s in our stadium. Our fans want us to press all the time and this is a team that is really smart, that try to push us, to use the space behind. We have to be really smart, not just playing with the heart but playing with our head. In the second leg we are going to do that.”
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