Lyon must pick themselves up after their heartbreaking exit from Europe at the hands of Manchester United and focus on qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
Paulo Fonseca’s squad staged an incredible comeback from 2-0 down at Old Trafford, taking a 4-2 lead in extra time, which put them ahead 6-4 on aggregate—even after being reduced to 10 men late in regular time.
However, the English club managed to rally late in extra time, equalising once more, before Harry Maguire netted the decisive goal in the 121st minute.
This last-minute drama denied Lyon a chance to reach the European semi-finals for the first time since their run to the Champions League last four in 2020. They now need to ensure that the manner of their exit doesn’t negatively impact the rest of their domestic season.
“At 4-2, with 10 minutes remaining, I think we all felt it was done. It really hurts,” remarked Corentin Tolisso, who was sent off with a second yellow card, speaking to Canal Plus.
“This is one of the toughest matches of my career. We deserved more. Now we have to regroup and recover quickly as we have a crucial match on Sunday that we must win.”
Lyon were once a mainstay in the Champions League but have not participated since 2020, when they fell to Bayern Munich in the semi-finals without fans in Lisbon.
With their precarious financial situation, competing in the lucrative Champions League is essential for the seven-time French champions.
American owner John Textor made the controversial decision to dismiss fan-favourite coach Pierre Sage in January and appointed Fonseca, believing the former AC Milan manager was better suited to guiding the team to a top-four finish in Ligue 1.
Despite Fonseca receiving a nine-month ban from the touchline following an angry confrontation with a referee during a match against Brest in early March, Textor continued to back him.
Under Fonseca, Lyon have triumphed in seven out of 10 Ligue 1 matches, winning five of their last six, and they currently sit in fourth place in the table.
With just five matches remaining, they will first need to face fierce derby rivals Saint-Etienne on Sunday, who are battling against relegation.
Only the top three clubs qualify automatically for the Champions League, with the fourth-placed team entering the preliminary rounds.
Lyon trail Marseille by one point in third but are just three points clear of Nice in seventh, which may not be sufficient for European qualification. The pressure is certainly on.
“We achieved some magnificent things and showcased our players’ quality, but we must learn from this,” Fonseca expressed after the tough match at Old Trafford.
“It’s not easy to compete here. I believe we demonstrated that we are poised to finish the season in a way that reflects our ambitions and our abilities.”
On the flip side, a Paris Saint-Germain star is aiming to secure the title of Ligue 1’s top scorer as he continues his impressive transformation into one of Europe’s most efficient finishers.
Dembele has netted an impressive 32 goals across all competitions, with 21 of those coming in Ligue 1. He requires six more goals in PSG’s final six fixtures to match Kylian Mbappe’s top-scorer tally of 27 from the previous season. The former Barcelona star will aim to add to his tally against struggling Le Havre on Saturday and in Tuesday’s match against Nantes.
Key stats
10 – If PSG triumph over Le Havre, it will mark their 10th consecutive Ligue 1 victory, a feat they haven’t accomplished in a single season since winning their first 14 matches of the 2018/19 season.
10 – Montpellier has suffered 10 straight defeats, with relegation potentially confirmed this weekend.
5 – There is only a five-point gap separating six teams, from Monaco in second to Nice in seventh, in the race for European qualification.
Fixtures (times CET)
Friday
Rennes vs Nantes (19:45)
Saturday
Paris Saint-Germain vs Le Havre (16:00), Monaco vs Strasbourg (18:00), Marseille vs Montpellier (20:05)
Sunday
Lille vs Auxerre (14:00); Nice vs Angers, Brest vs Lens, Reims vs Toulouse (all 16:15); Saint-Etienne vs Lyon (19:45)
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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