Lille Weigh Legal Action Over Tiago Santos Injury Against Le Havre

Lille are considering legal action after Tiago Santos suffered a season-ending right-knee ligament injury during Saturday’s match against Le Havre, with the club challenging the decision not to punish Amir Richardson’s tackle. The Portuguese right-back had previously sustained a serious ligament injury to his left knee two years ago.

What changed for Lille

The loss of Santos removes an important defender from Davide Ancelotti’s squad for the rest of the campaign and has prompted a strong response from LOSC.

Lille described the challenge as dangerous and said the circumstances surrounding the injury, together with the absence of disciplinary action, had created serious concerns. The club is examining legal options and has reserved the right to pursue compensation for its losses. It also said it would support Santos should he choose to take action to protect his own rights.

Le Havre offered Santos its support and wished him a quick recovery, while defending Richardson against the criticism. The club stressed that referee Bastien Dechepy and the VAR official both reviewed the incident without deciding that a sanction was required.

Competition context

Santos’s injury arrives during a demanding period for Lille, who are second in the league table but have begun their Champions League campaign with a defeat.

Les Dogues lost 3-2 to Real Betis in their opening European fixture and now face the task of responding without one of their established full-backs.

• Tiago Santos has suffered ligament damage in his right knee.
• Lille say the tackle was not penalised by either the referee or VAR.
• Le Havre maintain that the officials did not consider Richardson’s challenge worthy of punishment.

What is scheduled next

Lille’s immediate focus turns to a Champions League trip to London to play Arsenal. Ancelotti’s side will seek their first points in the competition after the narrow loss to Real Betis, while the club’s review of potential legal proceedings over Santos’s injury continues.