Hammer blow! UEFA slap Guendouzi with 4-match ban and hefty fine for Lyon chaos

The price of that gesture in Lyon has arrived, and it is steep: Matteo Guendouzi will watch Fenerbahce's first four Champions League matches from the stands.

Details: According to L'Equipe, UEFA have handed the French midfielder a four match suspension and a €50,000 fine for his provocations during the playoff second leg at Lyon. The punishment follows a mass brawl sparked when Guendouzi, a former Marseille man, made offensive gestures toward home supporters after Fenerbahce's 2-1 win sealed a first Champions League qualification in 17 years.

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Guendouzi had defended himself by claiming 60,000 fans insulted his family before and during the match, insisting provocation works both ways, but UEFA's disciplinary body was unmoved. The four game ban lands harder than many precedents: Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Simeone escaped with fines alone for infamous gestures in 2019. For Fenerbahce, returning to Europe's top table after nearly two decades, losing their midfield heartbeat for over half the league phase is a sporting disaster on top of a reputational one. Mason Greenwood, also charged over the same night, is still awaiting his own verdict.

It's worth noting that the brawl in Lyon involved both players and staff, and UEFA had also opened proceedings against Fenerbahce as a club, meaning more sanctions could still follow.

Reminder: Scandal! Huge brawl erupts in Champions League clash. VIDEO.