Lacazette Calls Out the Ref: Lyon-PSG Ends in Drama and a '11 vs 12' Rally
10 November 2025
Overview
A French newspaper described the refereeing decisions in the Lyon-PSG clash as a scandal, casting a shadow over a dramatic round-12 Ligue 1 fixture.
French veteran Alexandre Lacazette, now with Neom in Saudi Arabia, joined the chorus opposing the officiating in the Sunday showdown between his former club Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain.
PSG clinched a dramatic 3-2 victory via a late corner-capped goal, seconds after Lyon defender Nicolas Tagliafico was sent off in a moment that drew sharp questions about the referee’s decisions.
Le Parisien criticized the refereeing, arguing it included a controversial third PSG goal despite a potential foul by Vitinha before the corner, and a missed Lyon penalty.
Lacazette took to X to praise his old team, remarking: "Bravo Olympique Lyon, but it’s hard to play 11 against 12"—an implicit jab at perceived bias in the officiating.
At 34, Lacazette remains Lyon’s second all-time top scorer with 201 goals across two spells, including periods at Arsenal between stints with Lyon.
Midfielder Corentin Tolisso, 31, echoed the sentiment, calling for better officiating as errors recur each week and noting that explanations at the start of the season seldom translate to on-pitch reality.
Tolisso, a former Bayern Munich man, added that the issue isn’t confined to one match but a broader pattern across French football this season.
Tagliafico later posted three videos on X highlighting controversial decisions, accompanied by emojis signaling silence and queasiness.
PSG had taken the lead twice through goals by Warren Zaïre-Emery and another by a teammate, while Lyon equalized through Alfonso Moreira and Enis Maitland-Niles. The decisive moment came when Neves struck in the 95th minute, capitalizing on Lyon’s numerical disadvantage.
With the win, PSG moved to 27 points, extending their domestic lead, while Lyon sat on 20 points in seventh, just behind Lille and Monaco on goal difference.
PSG were without four influential players, including Moroccan wing-back Achraf Hakimi, Portuguese Nuno Mendes, and two wingers—Doy and Ousmane Dembélé—out with injuries for weeks to come.
In head-to-head terms, PSG have dominated Lyon in 112 meetings, with 52 wins to Lyon’s 34 and 26 draws. PSG have scored 197 goals to Lyon’s 149, according to Transfermarkt.
Paris Saint-Germain’s 2025-2026 snapshot
PSG had eight league wins, one defeat to Marseille, and two draws prior to the international break, with early-season form including a 6-3 drubbing of Toulouse, a 2-0 win against Lorient, and a 2-0 victory over Nice.
Before the October break, PSG drew with Lille and Strasbourg, briefly ceded top spot, then retook it after wins over Brest and Lorient, edging Lyon in a hard-fought fixture as part of their pursuit of a fifth consecutive domestic title.
In Europe, PSG opened their campaign with a European Super Cup triumph on penalties against Tottenham and then won group-stage fixtures against Atalanta, Barcelona, and Bayer Leverkusen before a recent setback against Bayern Munich.
Two punchlines to end this on a lighter note:
Punchline 1: If referees had a sniper scope, they'd still miss the offside—call it a sport requiring both vision and imagination.
Punchline 2: In football, the only thing sharper than a corner kick is the journalist’s wit when the VAR review drops the mic.
