Four months after Ada Hegerberg’s home was burgled on the eve of Lyon’s Women’s Champions League final, investigators have arrested a suspect in Grenoble. The case has again highlighted the security concerns faced by footballers living around Lyon.
Key takeaways
- A suspect has been arrested in Grenoble over the burglary at Ada Hegerberg’s home in May.
- Investigators identified the defendant through a DNA trace recovered at the property.
- The break-in happened overnight between 21 and 22 May, before OL Lyonnes lost the Champions League final 4-0 to Barcelona.
- The suspect is due to stand trial on 5 November after requesting time to prepare a defence.
- Several Lyon players, including Eugénie Le Sommer and Alexandre Lacazette, have also been targeted in recent years.
DNA evidence leads investigators to suspect
Hegerberg, the OL Lyonnes forward, was the victim of a forced-entry burglary during the night before the club’s Champions League final against Barcelona. Lyon were beaten 4-0 in that final, played on 22 May.
The Lyon public prosecutor’s office assigned the investigation to the Givors research brigade. A DNA profile found at the scene was analysed and enabled officers to identify the man now facing proceedings.
He was initially brought before the courts under an immediate-appearance procedure after spending two days in police custody. The hearing has since been moved to 5 November at his request, allowing him additional time to organise his defence.
Repeated concern for Lyon’s football community
The incident is part of a worrying pattern of burglaries affecting players from Lyon’s men’s and women’s sides in the surrounding suburbs.
France forward Eugénie Le Sommer and former Lyon captain Alexandre Lacazette have both previously suffered similar break-ins. Georges Mikautadze, another player connected with the club, was also the victim of an armed robbery.
For Hegerberg, the burglary came at the most demanding point of the season, hours before one of the biggest matches in European women’s football. The criminal case will now move forward with the defendant’s trial scheduled for early November.
