The highly-anticipated encounter was suspended and subsequently called off by the referee.

The Ligue 1 clash between Lyon and Marseille on Sunday was interrupted just four minutes after kick-off as Dimitri Payet was hit by a water bottle from the crowd. Players from both teams were forced to return to the dressing rooms as the 34-year-old Frenchman received treatment after being struck on the side of the head.

Payet was set to take a corner kick for his Marseille side who entered the weekend's encounter in fifth position after managing 23 points from the 13 games played so far this season. However, before he was able to send in the ball, a projectile which was later identified as a water bottle, struck him in the head, instantly sending the former West Ham playmaker to the ground.

Referee Ruddy Buquet immediately paused play and subsequently instructed both clubs to go to their respective dressing rooms. After nearly two hours, the game was abandoned after the stadium announcement said the referee believed the "security of the players was not guaranteed". Earlier, it had been announced that the game was set to be resumed as an arrest had been made. In light of this, the Lyon players came out to warm up, only for the Marseille's players to remain in their designated dressing room.  

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Lyon owner Jean-Michel Aulas later revealed that regional authorities had agreeed to resume the match, but the arrangement was with an angry backlash from Marseille players.

"There was an extremely violent reaction from Marseille when the decision to resume the match was taken," Aulas told Amazon Prime.

"The referee then asked to see the regional prefect to reverse his decision." 

According to referee Ruddy Buquet, he made the ultimate decision to end the game to avoid any risk of further interruptions.

"My sporting decision has always been to not resume the game," the referee said.

"But the risk of disturbances to public order was mentioned.

"I maintain that my decision was to not resume. My decision was to stop the match for obvious sporting reasons.

"There are many considerations to take into account, but I am the one who made the final decision."

The league's governing body LFP has since released a statement condemning the violent aggression that necessitated the game's postponement. This season's Ligue 1 has been marred by crowd disturbances. In August, a Marseille game in Nice was called off when Payet was hit by a bottle and flung it back into the crowd, inciting fans to storm the pitch. Payet was handed a one-game suspension and Nice was docked two points, one of which was suspended.

Back in September, competing fans threw objects at one other, causing the second half of the derby between RC Lens and Lille to be delayed by roughly half an hour. People then ran onto the pitch, requiring the intervention of riot police and stewards.