The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Jean-Michel Aulas at Figaro: "Faced with Juve, Lyon has a date with history"

2020-02-24T18:03:28.863Z


Jean-Michel Aulas, the president of OL, entrusts his ambition to "Figaro" before the shock against Juventus Turin Wednesday, in the knockout stages of the Champions League.


Difficult to miss the cranes and the sounds of jackhammers around the Groupama Stadium last Friday. Construction sites abound and all these little people are busy under the windows of Jean-Michel Aulas' office. Midnight blue jacket, impeccable white shirt and budding beard, the President of Lyon reveals to Le Figaro the progress of his projects in the Décines area. Offices, hotels or a future 16,000-seat Arena to host Tony Parker's ASVEL and shows (“it will be ready in 2023”), not to mention a tennis academy with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga… At 71, the OL president appeared in great shape. Sometimes smiling and roomy, sometimes more serious and pained according to the subjects mentioned. Lyon-Juventus (Wednesday), Juninho-Garcia, the annoyance of Rhone supporters, his dreams of the Champions League ... Interview with a man more than ever combative and ambitious.

LE FIGARO. - Blaise Matuidi was blowing in our columns on Monday that Juve was not afraid of Lyon but respected you…

Jean-Michel AULAS. - Ah Blaise ... It was Juninho's dream last summer. He thought it was bad knowing Blaise that he would have more trouble this year with Juventus. He saw OL as a tailor-made club for him. It didn't happen because Blaise Matuidi wanted to do this season with Juventus, he shows that he was right. And because Juventus is the best in Europe in terms of structure and sport. With the management of Andrea Agnelli (the president), the club is immersed in a very effective economic and governance strategy, then it takes the risks in terms of football to have the best players. Blaise has good taste, because I think that Juve, if she gets out of the trap that we are going to set them here, will be favorite of the Champions League.

»READ ALSO - Blaise Matuidi at Le Figaro:« Juventus is not afraid of anyone »

What makes you think of an OL feat?

This match comes at a strategic time for us. We are in the ramp-up cycle and we need to do an achievement to legitimize everything we have done. Today, everything is not visible, and in particular for certain sports journalists who only watch the result of the week, except for the people who travel to Lyon. We are going to play Juventus on Wednesday, the derby against Saint-Etienne on Sunday and the semi-final of the Coupe de France against Paris (Wednesday, March 4). When I imagined investing so much in OL and building something that would become inevitable in the medium and long term in terms of results, I could have dreamed of that week. It may be a year too early, but I like to save a year in my program. To dream is not cursed, much less to blaspheme. It's sport. These matches are timely, maybe not in sport because we had a lot of injuries that penalized us, but since we are in a good economic situation, we were able, perhaps, to compensate for the injuries. We deserve to beat them and qualify. There is only that which speaks in the sports landernau.

Are you afraid of Juventus?

Of course. It enchants me and scares me. I am an admirer of Ronaldo, Pjanic, Matuidi, I really like Rabiot. Besides, we wanted to recruit him for the winter break, "Juni" had thought about it, but he started playing with Juve. We admire what Agnelli does with Juve and his players, but it will only have more reflection for us if we manage to hook them.

"In football, that's how it is, it's not the results over 10 or 20 years that count, but the next match"

Jean-Michel Aulas

This week can take OL to another dimension. Deep disappointments or the beginning of enchantment ...

Yes. It's more than a turning point in the season. It is a turning point in the history of OL. Despite the many injuries and a failed championship (Lyon is 7th in Ligue 1), we are in what I dreamed of the most to legitimize all the investments we have made here. In football, that's how it is, it's not the results over 10 or 20 years that count, but the next match. It is a meeting with history for Lyon.

Do you feel your players capable of sublimating for such an appointment?

Yes. We did everything we could to give them that feeling. When I saw Leipzig make this fantastic match against Tottenham (last Wednesday), or Dortmund against PSG (2-1 victory), even Ajax eliminate Juventus last year… It's pretentious what I'm going to say , it will be pointed out, but Lyon is a small Ajax. With less results than we would like in Ligue 1, but OL have what it takes to create a fantastic feat. If we didn't do that, it wouldn't jeopardize everything we did, because the foundations are solid, everything is programmed and matures.

"I am an absolute fan of youth in all areas"

Jean-Michel Aulas

What have you learned this season after the upheavals encountered (disappointing course in L1, disputed transfer window from Juninho, dismissal from Sylvinho…)?

It gave me a very strong confidence in the OL model. Only the latter could allow the club to get out of this bad step. If we hadn't done the right thing for 10/20 years, we might have gone down to the second division. With us, we don't just invest in players ... All we do here is to have a high-performance football club, the best in Europe. This is my project. Only that matters. What I dreamed of 20 years ago can come to the rescue of random football. I learned other things. I am an absolute fan of youth in all areas, which is less docile and has more personality today, but conversely, youth in football did not give me everything I would have liked as with the choice of Sylvinho who lacked experience.

»READ ALSO - PSG: a victory that brings more questions than certainties

Juninho and Rudi Garcia, two of your choices, have come in for a lot of criticism. Are they suffering from this situation?

"Juni" suffered a lot. More than everyone imagines. He did not arrive on a whim, it had been three times that I offered him the job. The one who should have protected Juninho at the time was me and I didn't do it. I was trapped in my own desire to delegate and to give Juninho the powers. He too had no experience. We were blinded by the aura he has in the world of football. I did not do all that was necessary, but I know that the choice is good. When people send him spikes, it hurts his heart and I get it. For Rudi (Garcia), the fact of having chosen him against the sports journalistic lobby, it was an act of bravery (smile). It makes me smile now, but it annoyed me instantly (that we dispute his choice, at the expense of Laurent Blanc). I want the three of us to succeed together. Why did I take Rudi? Because Juni, Gérard Houllier (adviser to the president), Vincent Ponsot (head of HR) tell you: it's him. If I do not make the same choice as them ... Knowing that it would shock, that it would be considered an attack on the football system of alcove, I went there.

The Champions League as a sounding board

You wanted to delegate, you are back in the arena…

I find that in France there is not enough interest in management or crisis management. It's exciting to know that you are in danger and that by good psychological management, good practical decisions and constant involvement, you can influence the result without playing on the pitch.

You told us last year that participation in the Champions League “changed your life” economically. OL are now 7 points from 3rd place, synonymous with the C1 preliminary round. Would it be a disaster to end up beyond?

I remain convinced that it changes lives. But it will change it less from year to year with our foundations which are more and more solid. There is one thing that you cannot compensate for, except winning titles, it is the image and the sounding board of the Champions League. This season, I am announcing that we will win titles.

"We are going to win a title and I hope to be in 3rd place in Ligue 1"

Jean-Michel Aulas

Are you talking about all the OL components (female, young) or the male team?

No, I'm talking about the gentlemen. The others would be too easy. We are racing in four competitions (L1, C1, Coupe de France, Coupe de la Ligue), even if the grumpy retorts that I will not be able to say that after the PSG match. We will win a title and I hope to end up in 3rd place in Ligue 1.

Your retirement is therefore postponed to a few years ...

(Laughs) If we win all next year, I'm going to Miami (he is currently setting up a project with his son around a private airport terminal).

We feel that you have the flame more than ever…

Yes, the passion is there. And I have a tenacious will that few have with the experience I have ...

Read also

  • Estate of Jean-Michel Aulas: "Tony Parker ticks all the boxes"

Source: lefigaro

All sports articles on 2020-02-24

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.