FRENCH giants Lyon have been left in shock after one of their academy players was charged with MURDER.
The club is joint top of Ligue 1 after winning an appeal against a decision to relegate them for financial reasons.
But Lyon have been plunged into a fresh crisis after local police arrested a 13-year-old member of their academy.
A teenager was stabbed to death on Sunday night in the north Lyon suburb Caluire-et-Cuire.
Named only as Chems Z, the 16-year-old was with two friends when he was attacked around 10.30pm.
He sustained a knife wound to the upper body and was rushed to hospital, but doctors were unable to save him.
French media reported that a 13-year-old Lyon player, who lived locally, has since been arrested and charged with murder.
He has not been named for legal reasons due to his age.
A poster appeared near the site of the incident, bearing Chems’ picture and an emotional message.
It read: “Your smile will continue to shine in our memories.
“You will remain in our hearts for ever – rest in peace.”
Caluire mayor Bastien Joint lamented: “Our community has been struck by an utter drama.
“We are all in mourning alongside the family.
“This incident was nothing to do with drug dealing or criminal networks – it was simply a personal disagreement that got out of hand.
“Society has to react and no longer look away, so that a quarrel can never again lead to the death of a child.”