Opponent's Jersey at Breakfast: The Guendouzi Anecdote That Says It All

Mattéo Guendouzi showed up for Monday morning breakfast wearing an Ajaccio jersey the day after Lorient’s defeat in that same city, despite not even being included in the squad. The anecdote, reported by former Lorient winger Jimmy Cabot, illustrates the provocative character of the French international midfielder, once again under scrutiny following the incident that escalated into a mass brawl during the UEFA Champions League playoff between Fenerbahçe and Olympique Lyonnais.

“One day at Lorient, he wasn’t in the squad against Ajaccio with Selemani. We lost and he came to breakfast Monday morning wearing an Ajaccio jersey. It’s completely crazy. If I’m the coach, you’re out,” Cabot, now retired, said on the Capté media outlet.

These memories echo the words of Mickaël Landreau, who coached Guendouzi at Lorient between 2017 and 2019. The former goalkeeper didn’t mince words. “Since he was young, he’s in constant provocation. It’s unbearable to manage! Everyone’s had enough. He has talent, but for a year, two years, no more. Humanly speaking it’s complex,” he said.

These testimonies resurface in the direct wake of the two-legged tie between Fenerbahçe and Lyon. Throughout the second leg, Guendouzi repeatedly hurled insults at the crowd and Lyon players. At the final whistle, his repeated friction sparked a mass brawl on the pitch, prompting anger from OL’s board.

From Lorient to Istanbul, passing through Arsenal and Marseille, Guendouzi’s profile remains constant: undeniable talent, coupled with a temperament that his own coaches describe as exhausting to manage over time.