FRED TANNEAU
After two and a half years of absence on the European scene, Lyon returns to the Europa League on Thursday (9:00 p.m.) against the Greek club Olympiakos Piraeus, in a gloomy context linked to a poorly calibrated transfer window and a failed start to the championship.
What’s more, OL, 14th in Ligue 1 with only four points, will play in a stadium decreed behind closed doors by UEFA, after incidents that occurred during the last C3 match at the Groupama stadium, a quarter return final lost 3-0 on April 14, 2022 against the English club West Ham after a draw in the first leg in London.
An attempt to invade the pitch by the ultras, difficult to contain by the stewards and the police, was sanctioned by the authorities by the closure of the north and south turns.
On a sporting level, Olympique Lyonnais remains in a painful defeat (3-2) on Sunday in Ligue 1, at home against Marseille, although reduced to ten from the 5th minute of play.
Far from the expectations generated by the second half of last season which saw the team go from last to 6th place to win Europe, the record is not great with three defeats, a draw for a snatched victory 4- 3 against Strasbourg after being down 3-1, and a total of eleven goals conceded in five matches.
JEFF PACHOUD
– Sage expected at the turn –
And the coach, Pierre Sage, is logically expected around the corner.
Is he now the project man hoped for by John Textor after having been the one for the rescue mission?
The technician, in post since the end of November 2023, who obtained his Professional Football Coaching Certificate (BEPF) in June and whose learning process is extremely rapid, is making his European debut. He must now demonstrate that he has the shoulders to last on the OL bench, more than his predecessors.
He is already the sixth coach of the club since 2019 and the departure of Bruno Genesio and the third, in less than a year, of the Textor era.
His management of an unbalanced squad, too large of 28 players and his choices to find the necessary levers will be scrutinized, as much by his locker room as by the supporters or the media.
“There are many of us but the cases are different between a young person who has time ahead of him to play compared to an executive or a veteran. Everyone is aware that when we have playing time, it is the time to prove. Some wait until they have three matches per week to be able to play, that’s understandable,” said Alexandre Lacazette.
Sage has little time to rectify the situation otherwise he will see all the credit amassed last season disappear very quickly and see himself in turn threatened.
JEFF PACHOUD
– Possible system change –
With a program now offering matches every three days, Sage has the opportunity to distribute playing time differently while also finding a more appropriate playing system with the strengths of his group, offensive and alley players in particular.
“The question arises because we leave a lot of quality players on the bench. Despite everything, against OM, with our 3-5-2, we had a lot of situations,” admitted Sage, considering a change “possible” of organization.
Before the defeat against Marseille, Pierre Sage had, however, anticipated by emphasizing the need “to restore confidence to the same players but also to give perspectives to others”.
“This series of matches comes at the right time because it’s starting to be hard for some to play less,” he predicted.
We must therefore expect some changes in OL’s starting lineup to play in Europe and continue in Toulouse on Sunday in the championship.
