Lille have announced that they are preparing to pursue legal action after defender Tiago Santos suffered a season‑ending knee injury in a match against Le Havre. The 24‑year‑old was taken off on a stretcher after a tackle by Le Havre midfielder Amir Richardson ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and tore a meniscus in his right knee. The incident occurred in the first half of a 1‑0 win for Lille, and although the referee called a foul, Richardson was not shown a yellow or red card.
The club has lodged a formal complaint with the French Football Federation and the Professional Football League, arguing that the tackle was “from behind, uncontrolled and in a dangerous manner” and therefore should have warranted a red card. Lille’s statement said the lack of a sanction and the circumstances of the injury “raise serious questions for the club.” The club is now reviewing possible remedies and has reserved the right to seek compensation through legal channels.
Santos is expected to be sidelined for several months, effectively ending his campaign. Lille, who sit second in Ligue 1, will miss the player ahead of their upcoming Champions League clash with Arsenal on Tuesday. The club’s decision to pursue legal action reflects its frustration with what it perceives as a failure by the refereeing team and the video assistant referee to impose an appropriate penalty.
Le Havre responded by saying that both the club and Richardson have expressed support for Santos’s recovery, but they defended the referee’s decision and the V‑AR’s assessment. The club also questioned Lille’s move to “punish its player after the fact,” arguing that such a decision would fall outside current regulations. “HAC respects all fellow Ligue 1 clubs and expects the same respect in return,” Le Havre added.
BBC Sport has reached out to the Ligue de Football Professionnel for comment on the matter. The outcome of Lille’s legal inquiry remains to be seen, but the club’s stance signals a willingness to challenge what it sees as an inadequate disciplinary response to a dangerous tackle that has cost them a key defender.