Lille consider legal action after Tiago Santos suffers ACL injury

WHAT HAPPENED
Lille have said they are considering legal action after defender Tiago Santos ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and suffered a meniscal tear in his right knee following a tackle by Le Havre midfielder Amir Richardson in the first half of Saturday’s 1-0 Ligue 1 win. Santos, 24, was carried off on a stretcher. The challenge was given as a foul but Richardson was not booked.

CLUB ACTION
LOSC have asked the league to refer the incident to its disciplinary panel, saying the tackle was made “from behind, uncontrolled and in a dangerous manner” and that it should have warranted a red card. The club added it had referred the matter to the French Football Federation and the Professional Football League “in order to obtain an examination of the handling of this action by the refereeing team and the video assistance.”

LOSC also said it is “studying the possible remedies and reserves the right to take any legal action to obtain compensation for its damages.”

LE HAVRE RESPONSE
Le Havre said the club and Richardson expressed their support for Santos in his recovery but backed the decisions of the match referee and the video assistant referee. The club also questioned Lille’s move to “punish its player after the fact, since such a decision would fall outside the current regulations,” adding: “HAC respects all fellow Ligue 1 clubs and expects the same respect in return.”

CONTEXT
Santos had started every Ligue 1 match for Lille this season. Lille sit second in Ligue 1 and face Arsenal in the Champions League on Tuesday. BBC Sport has contacted the LFP, which runs the French professional leagues, for comment.