Olympique Lyonnais vs. SM Caen
Week 23 – Ligue 1
What an AWESOME start to the year! Six wins, one well fought out draw and a marginal 1-0 loss in
8 matches since January. 8 matches in which Lyon has scored 19 goals.
Olympique Lyonnais vs. AS Saint-Etienne
Ligue 1, Matchday 12
Celebrations of victory over derby rivals Saint-Etienne in the Coupe de la Ligue Round of 16
turned sour following news of further injury to crucial squad members. Long time back up keeper
Rémy Vercoutre and in-form winger Michel Bastos made their way into the injured list.
AS Saint Etienne vs. Olympique Lyonnais
Coupe de la Ligue 2011-12, Round of 16.
It was this cup victory that sparked the rise of the club in the decade gone by. Coupe de la
Ligue is back for another year. Olympique Lyonnais may have moved to bigger, better and eventually
more elusive title challenges lately, but a Ligue cup remains an important opportunity not only for
clubs from lesser tiers to challenge the top teams, but for established teams to try out the depth
of their squads.
At last! Claude Puel having finally received his letter of dismissal, will probably move south,
to Spain... or wherever. What matters now is that the club finally announce today what had been
rumoured for several weeks now : Rémi Garde is our new coach.
With this nomination, the club will now be able to fully devote themselves to the reconstruction
of a squad that should be amputated by some of their best elements : Jeremy Toulalan being gone,
the likes of Bastos, Cissokho, possibly Kallström, Ederson and pretty much anyone who's not deemed
absolutely untransferable.
DING DONG THE WITCH IS DEAD"I've been hung out to dry." - Jack Warner
Yes you have Jack. On a clothesline that you were a chief architect in imagining, building,
stealing from, hiding behind, and using to line your pockets for over two decades.
I love how he hid behind his role as guardian of fellow Caribbean nations only to bully them all
into kowtowing to his every whim.
Massimo Moratti: Whither my next coach?
With Leonardo's exit, the Inter coaching job has opened up. So far their search has
foundered.
Andre Villas- Boas is Chelsea bound. Fabio Capello's son confirms Inter made an approach for the
England manager but he's bound to the FA.
A step further in importance : that's how this last game compares to the emotional rollercoaster
that last year's ultimate game was. Because not only will it condition our final ranking, but it
will also be the end of a cycle, and possibly several.
First cycle ending : the 2010-2011 season
There's no need to comment on this overall disappointing season, bar a respectable run of 13
unbeaten games following the derby lost in St Etienne in September.
Pressure cooker ready to burst, or bowl of overboiled noodles?
Difficult to anticipate the spirits in which the players will face Lens today. A week after the
draw against Nice (2-2), much has been leaked, distorted, or exaggerated, about the atmosphere
within the squad. Yes, Hugo Lloris exploded after the match, on his way back to the locker
rooms.
In a fortnight of international football in which half of the Lyonnais have gone missing,
selected for their respective international duties, Claude Puel and his staff said they nonetheless
managed to have interesting training sessions with the few souls remaining along the Rhône at the
Tola Vologe training facility, progressively incorporating their returning colleagues.
25 or 7 ?
25% vs 7 times. That pretty much sums up the whole uncertainty around this game. Statistically,
Lyon only have a 25% chance to qualify after the draw (1-1) conceded at home, three weeks ago. But
this small percentage is opposed to the record of confrontations between the two teams, largely in
favor of OL : 7 games against Real, 0 loss.
Where the Lionceaux (the cubs) meet Lyon... This saturday, the FC Sochaux-Montbéliard,
unbeaten in three matches, hosts the Olympique Lyonnais, currently fourth before this 27th day of
Ligue 1. The Lyonnais have the opportunity to overtake Marseille and reach the third step of the
podium, getting closer (at 1 point distance) to the leader, Lille, until they play on sunday, and
to Rennes who lost to Marseille (2-0).
Jean-Michel Aulas speaks to the press (often), sells his club (always), can speak without
compromise (sometimes), and on occasions be perfectly candid (rarely). It just happened now in a
Lyon Capitale interview published today, and, as it addresses the concerns of many readers of this
blog, I thought I should share the key points with you.
LYON, France — Striker Bafetimbi Gomis scored a late equalizer Tuesday as Lyon drew 1-1 with Real
Madrid in the first leg of their last-16 meeting in the Champions League, denying the Spanish team
its first win against the former French champions. Brazilian defender Cris headed on a free kick
and Gomis clipped the ball [.
By Geoff Reid
Kobenhavn vs Chelsea from Parken Stadion, Copenhagen
Already the Danish champions have made history by becoming the first Danish side to play in the
knockout rounds. Of course similar to a few clubs who's domestic league shut down, Kobenhavn are no
different and they say the break has actually helped them prepare for this challenge.
Olympique Lyon host nine-times winners Real Madrid at the Stade Gerland hoping to
continue their impressive run of form against the Spanish giants.
Played six, won three, drew three and lost exactly zero. Yes that is zero. With statistics as
such, it is easy to see why Olympique Lyon have become Real Madrid's much proclaimed
‘bogey-club'.
Lyon coach Claude Puel said his side would face a "better balanced" team than the Real Madrid
that they beat at this stage of last season's UEFA Champions League yet, despite the absence of
Lisandro, he believes they are in the mood to repeat that success. Madrid have lost in the round of
16 six years running but José Mourinho is not looking to the past.
Lyon coach Claude Puel said his side would face a "better balanced" team than the Real Madrid
that they beat at this stage of last season's UEFA Champions League yet, despite the absence of
Lisandro, he believes they are in the mood to repeat that success. Madrid have lost in the round of
16 six years running but José Mourinho is not looking to the past.
Funny how time passes sometimes... Had Lyon's calendar been different, the resounding win last
weekend against their worst enemy, Saint-Etienne (1-4), would have lifted the club for weeks; but
due to the incoming hurdle in CL next week (who said wall ?), this win was quickly set aside to
concentrate on José's Jazz Band coming to Lyon.
Let's be honest, while I sometimes imagine how fun it could be to be a sport journalist when I
watch Rennes' coach Antonetti or PSG's Kombouaré giving a press conference, I never get carried
away too long as I suddenly realise that would also mean attending Claude Puel's press conferences.
And then for some reason my dream ends suddenly.
A crucial encounter. Rather than a pleasant wine contest between Cotes du Rhône and Bordeaux,
tonight's game will leave at least a big gun with a sour taste in the mouth... And, it'd better be
Bordeaux, if you ask me.
Remember... this must have been a century ago : Bordeaux versus Lyon, a Champions League quarter
final.
A cold shower. That's about how I felt watching the Coupe de France game against Nice last
Sunday. With the interest and hope aroused by the two previous Ligue 1 and Coupe de France games,
we were prepared to celebrate a fairly easy win. I had draft text messages ready to send to the few
Nice supporters I happen to know : "good game, too bad".
Un-be-lie-va-ble. I must have tried a zillion times to digest the news during the week, I still
can't believe it:
THE INFIRMARY IS EMPTY .
No kidding. No hallucination either. Claude Puel announced it in thursday's press conference,
and I'm positive he was absolutely, totally serious.
The second half of the season is about to begin, we have our eyes set on that first game against
Lorient, but there are a couple of interesting things that have been said or done around the club
lately.
Here's a quick roundup:
- Jean II Makoun is on his way to Aston Villa.
Lille's attacking midfield star Eden Hazard has reiterated his "dream" of signing for Arsenal,
with Arsene Wenger looking to make those dreams come true in the summer.
The Arsenal manager's main priority for the January transfer window is to bring in a defender
if Thomas Vermaelen continues to struggle for fitness, but he plans to give serious consideration
to a move for Hazard in the summer.
