Lyon to sanction Gift Orban for encouraging ‘his friend’ after Auxerre clash

Olympique Lyonnais are set to take disciplinary action against Super Eagles invitee Gift Orban following his controversial social media post lauding an opponent’s performance during Lyon’s recent 2-2 draw with AJ Auxerre, Soccernet.ng reports.

After the heated encounter, Orban praised Ivorian forward Sinaly Diamonde, who scored and provided an assist for Auxerre.

Orban’s comment, featuring the word “Top” accompanied by two fire emojis, was intended to encourage his friend but was poorly received by Lyon’s management and supporters, given Diamonde’s contributions came at Lyon’s expense.

The post quickly sparked outrage among Lyon fans, which led Orban to clarify that he was unaware his friend’s goals were against his own team.

“Excuse me, OL fans, it was a mistake. I made this comment just to encourage my friend. I didn’t even realise it was from our match; who would wish for his own team to lose? We work hard each day to win matches and trophies. For OL, I am sorry – thank you,” Orban expressed in his apology.

Despite his clarification, RMC Sports reports that the club appears unwilling to let the incident slide. Lyon management has reportedly summoned Orban for a formal discussion, and he faces a potential penalty, including losing his ethics bonus.

The forward was recently removed from the first-team squad over disciplinary concerns, adding to a challenging season in which he struggled to secure regular playing time.