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Lyon have announced that they have demoted defender Marcelo to their reserve team in a stinging club statement, less than a year after the 34-year-old was in talks with Liverpool. He will train with the Pro 2 squad with “immediate effect”.
Marcelo endured a horrid day as Lyon fell to a surprise 3-0 defeat by Angers in Ligue 1 on Sunday evening.
The centre-back scored an own goal during the reverse, which now means the club have just one point from their opening two matches.
Head coach Peter Bosz is under pressure to turn around their form but he must now do so without experienced defender Marcelo.
Lyon have not specified the reason for the former Besiktas player’s punishment. However, they state that it is because of a changing room ‘incident’ and not because of his performance.
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“Olympique Lyonnais’ management reiterates that all of its players must demonstrate an unwavering mindset and a commitment to quickly return to recording results in line with the club’s ambitions.”
Marcelo’s woes come just eight months after he was offered the chance to join Liverpool in the January transfer window.
Jurgen Klopp was desperate for new defenders as an injury crisis swept through his squad, leaving only youngsters Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams as his centre-back options.
Virgil van Dijk had his season ended prematurely in October after rupturing his ACL.
The 30-year-old has since returned to full fitness and started the Reds’ first game of the new Premier League season against Norwich City.
Joe Gomez and Joel Matip also missed large parts of last term.
Liverpool sporting director Michael Edwards earmarked several candidates to fill Klopp’s defensive void.
One of those was Lyon’s Marcelo, but the Brazilian rejected the Premier League side’s offer of a six-month contract.
Instead, Liverpool signed Schalke’s Ozan Kabak on a half-season loan. The Turkey international subsequently played nine times in the top-flight.
Kabak helped the Merseysiders finish third, despite the fact they were languishing in mid-table during the middle of the campaign.
He has since returned to the German side but has been linked with several English clubs this summer.
Liverpool’s only summer signing is centre-back Ibrahima Konate, who has arrived from Leipzig after the Reds triggered his £36million release clause.
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