In-form Alexandre Lacazette scored before coming off injured in the first half as Lyon collapsed to a 4-2 defeat away at promoted Dijon in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
Lacazette put the visitors 2-1 up on 37 minutes at the Stade Gaston-Gerard with his sixth goal already this season after Corentin Tolisso’s opener for Lyon had been cancelled out by a Frederic Sammaritano penalty.
But the 25-year-old, who on Thursday was recalled to the France squad for the start of their World Cup qualifying campaign, then hobbled off just before the break and was later seen with strapping and an ice pack around his left knee.
Things got worse for Lyon as Dijon came roaring back with goals by Julio Tavares, Dylan Bahamboula and Pierre Lees-Melou to claim their first points since returning to the top flight.
“I am worried. When a player comes off before half-time it is always worrying,” Lyon coach Bruno Genesio told Canal Plus at half-time before adding that the player would undergo tests on Monday to determine the extent of the problem.
• More: Liverpool, Tottenham draw in a feisty affair | PL Round-up
Lyon do not play again until hosting Bordeaux in a two weeks but Lacazette must now be a major doubt for France’s upcoming matches in Italy and Belarus.
The situation is similar for Nabil Fekir, who was recalled to the national set-up for the first time since suffering a serious knee injury in France’s friendly win in Portugal almost a year ago.
But he came off in the second half and Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas later revealed he may undergo minor knee surgery on Monday.
“We flouted the fundamental principles of football and were deservedly beaten. Losing Lacazette hurt us and we did not play as well in the second half,” said Genesio of the defeat.
OL had won their opening two league matches thanks to their star striker’s goals but were looking to do something they had not managed since 1981 by making it three straight victories to start a top-flight campaign.
They went in front in the 20th minute when Tolisso followed in to score after Baptiste Reynet in the Dijon goal had beaten away a Sergi Darder shot.
Dijon were level just four minutes later, however, as Sammaritano netted from the spot after Nicolas Nkoulou chopped down Tavares in the box.
The incident was a demonstration of the new application of the laws following the abolition of the so-called ‘triple punishment’ -- last season Nkoulou would certainly have been sent off for denying Tavares the opportunity to score, but this time he was only booked.
Lyon were back in front as the lively Lacazette collected the ball on the edge of the box and fired a low left-foot shot into the bottom-left corner, but he then hobbled off.
And Dijon drew level again in first-half stoppage time as Tavares dived bravely in front of Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes to head in a cross from the right by Sammaritano.
The Burgundy side had not even scored in their opening two games but they ran away with this match in the second half, going in front on 73 minutes when Bahamboula scrambled in from a corner.
They netted again towards the end as Lyon were unable to fully clear their lines from a corner and Lees-Melou, who had come off the bench for his top-flight debut, curled a beauty into the far corner.
Guingamp are the provisional leaders of the fledgling table after a 2-0 win at promoted Nancy, although they are level on points with Nice, who drew 1-1 at home to Lille.
Vincent Koziello put Nice ahead at the Allianz Riviera only for Lille captain Franck Beria to equalise with his first goal in Ligue 1 since November 2010.
Caen beat Bastia 2-0, Metz defeated Angers by the same score and Rennes came from behind to draw 1-1 at Montpellier.
Marseille recorded their first win of the season on Friday, beating Lorient 2-0 at the Stade Velodrome with Remy Cabella and Bafetimbi Gomis netting.
Champions Paris Saint-Germain will look to maintain their perfect start to the campaign when they visit Monaco on Sunday.
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Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
SANCTIONED
- Kirill Shamalov, Russia's youngest billionaire and previously married to Putin's daughter Katarina
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- Yury Slyusar, director of United Aircraft Corporation, a major aircraft manufacturer for the Russian military.
- Elena Aleksandrovna Georgieva, chair of the board of Novikombank, a state-owned defence conglomerate.
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
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Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Specs
Engine: 2-litre
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 255hp
Torque: 273Nm
Price: Dh240,000
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Started: October 2023
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Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Paris Can Wait
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Two stars
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Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 626bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh1,050,000
On sale: now
Disclaimer
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Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.