PARIS, France.- Serious attacks by Marseille fans against Lyon buses, which resulted in multiple injuries and led to the suspension of Sunday's match between the two French clubs, have already led to nine arrests. Investigations are ongoing to arrest all those responsible.

This statement comes from the French Interior Minister, Gérald Darmanin, who, in an interview with BFMTV, defended the preparations for the security measures for that high-risk match.

Darmanin emphasized that 500 police and gendarmes were mobilized, that there were nine injuries among the officers, and that what happened is "the responsibility of the fans and the clubs."

He acknowledged that not all the culprits have been apprehended, but he is confident that surveillance footage will help identify them and "arrest others."

"I hope there will be administrative and sports-related actions," and he hopes that the judiciary will impose "significant prison sentences."

The incidents occurred before the match when several buses, particularly the one carrying Lyon to the Vélodrome stadium in Marseille, were pelted with beer cans and other objects. These broke some windows and notably injured the visiting coach, Italian Fabio Grosso.

The image of Grosso's bloodied face, chosen for L'Équipe's cover this Monday, has become symbolic of this new episode of violence in French football.

The Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa Castéra, also defended the security preparations on Monday, stating the match "had been well-prepared." When asked in another interview on France 2 channel about potential sanctions for the clubs, she replied that "if there are responsibilities, of course."

In her opinion, "all those responsible for these inexcusable actions must be strongly sanctioned," there needs to be a "comprehensive response," and "the clubs cannot be indifferent."