How to re-mobilize its troops and refocus, already, on a new objective? This is surely what must ask Rudi Garcia, the coach of Olympique Lyonnais. Its players achieved the feat on Wednesday by triumphing over Juventus Turin's Cristiano Ronaldo (1-0) in the knockout stages of the Champions League. But they must already refocus on a new goal since it is nothing less than the derby against Saint-Etienne which awaits them this Sunday (9 p.m.), at the end of the 27th day of Ligue 1.
A match which usually represents one of the key events of the OL season, but which is played this year in a somewhat special context. Stuck between the two Champions League games and the semi-final of the Coupe de France on Wednesday against PSG, it could thus lose its importance. " My players are talking about the match and nothing else ," Rudi Garcia said on Friday. We were strong everywhere on Wednesday and we will have to repeat the same performance on Sunday. "
"We are focused on ASSE"
Léo DuboisNo risk of seeing a Olympique Lyonnais different from the one seen in the European Cup hearing the coach of Les Gones, but the club's latest results in Ligue 1 can still encourage caution. Before the victory in Metz last weekend (2-0), Lyon had chained four games without a win, including two defeats against Nice and PSG. Results not up to the ambitions of the club, and performances far from the level displayed by OL in the Cups, which can let fear the worst before the match against Saint-Etienne.
“ We are not yet thinking of the return match against Juventus. We are focused on ASSE, ”explains Léo Dubois, confirming the words of his coach. The right side knows the importance of these meetings against Saint-Etienne, and wants to do everything to take revenge at Groupama Stadium after the victory of ASSE in the first leg (1-0). “ We are all committed to erasing the first leg of the derby. We want to win, we have no choice. The way doesn't matter to me, it's just the three points that matter to us , ”warns the former Nantais, just back from an injury.
Revenge to take
Ninth in Ligue 1 after Saturday's matches, the Lyonnais have every interest in winning this derby if they want to smell the scent of the Champions League again next year. With 10 points to go up on Rennes, third, the motivation is all found for the men of Rudi Garcia, especially after an evening like that of Wednesday. "We must reproduce the performance of Juventus on all other matches," says the coach. And it starts this Sunday against Saint-Etienne.
This derby could also be very timely to trigger a new dynamic. With a midfielder player and found around Guimaraes, Aouar and Tousart, OL has all the assets to bring down a Stéphanoise team not at best (16th in Ligue 1), and which will once again do without its goalkeeper Stéphane Ruffier. Wash the affront of the first leg, start on a good foundation in Ligue 1 and not miss his return to earth, these are three great challenges for Lyon on Sunday.
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