Ruddy Buquet has been appointed to referee the Ligue 1 match between Olympique Lyonnais and AJ Auxerre this Friday, September 4th. The 49-year-old official is familiar with this fixture, having overseen Lyon's 3-2 victory over Auxerre last season.
The officiating team for this clash at the Groupama Stadium will be completed by assistant referees Erwan Finjean and Julien Haulbert. Karim Abed will serve as the fourth official. In the video operation room, VAR duties will be shared between Benoît Millot and Bruno Coué. This appointment comes as Auxerre faces a tough start to the season in the league table.
AJ Auxerre currently sits 18th in Ligue 1 with 0 points from two defeats in two matches. Their record shows three goals scored and eight conceded, resulting in a -5 goal difference. The Burgundy club already trails league leaders AS Monaco by six points.
The nomination of Ruddy Buquet for this match carries significant context. The referee was at the centre of a major controversy in September 2025 during a match between Stade Rennais and Olympique Lyonnais. Anthony Rouault committed a dangerous tackle on Khalis Merah without being sent off. The French Football Federation later acknowledged a "manifest error", stating that the Rennes defender should have been sent off and that video assistance should have intervened.
This episode reignited debate about the use of VAR in Ligue 1. Buquet's appointment for a match so important for Auxerre, who are seeking their first win, is therefore under scrutiny. The difficult start to the season for AJA is detailed on our stats page.
The trip to Lyon represents a major challenge for AJ Auxerre. Christophe Pélissier's team will face an opponent currently in 4th place in the championship. To hope to bring points back from Rhône-Alpes, the Auxerre players will need to be particularly disciplined and efficient in front of goal.
The last match officiated by Buquet between these two teams ended in a 3-2 Lyon victory. AJA supporters hope officiating will not be a deciding factor this time. The team must quickly find solutions to improve a defence that has already conceded eight goals in two matchdays.
After this match in Lyon, AJ Auxerre will face other key fixtures in their fight to avoid relegation. The schedule for the coming weeks is available on our fixtures page. The squad led by Christophe Pélissier must show a collective reaction to reverse the negative trend of the early season.
AJ Auxerre's next fixture is scheduled for Friday, September 4th, 2026, at the Groupama Stadium against Olympique Lyonnais.
