L’Équipe report that following Lyon’s 4-1 loss to Rennes before the international break, tensions boiled over as a frustrated Jérôme Boateng clashed with Rayan Cherki in the dressing room.
The German defender was frustrated at the young midfielder for attempting, and failing, a nutmeg in his own half in the final minutes of the game, and was unhappy with Cherki’s sharp response.
The former Bayern Munich man then stood up and shouted at his teammate in English: “Who do you think you are? You’re 18, you’ve done nothing! You have to show me respect!”
For a few moments, no one in the Lyon squad or staff intervened, nor did president Jean-Michel Aulas and director Juninho, also in the dressing room at the time. The two were eventually separated, with emotions running high.
A large section of the squad would leave a few hours later to join their national team, with the likes of Houssem Aouar and Tino Kadewere being joined by youth team players for the week’s training sessions.