** Lacazette: “This game is very important, and it’s a derby” – Last possible appearance in front of the ASSE? **

As the 126th derby between AS Saint-Étienne and Olympique Lyonnais approached, Lyon captain Alexandre Lacazette gave a press conference charged with emotion. The French striker mentioned the possibility that this might be his last confrontation with the Greens.

Lacazette, returning to Lyon after a period spent in Arsenal, will face a particularly significant match this Sunday evening. This was his first derby appearance after three consecutive losses to Geoffroy Guichard. The first, on November 30, 2014, resulted in a 3-0 defeat, with Lacazette missing a penalty against the North Kop. The following season, the Greens won 1-0 thanks to Alexander Søderlund. The last of these defeats, in February 2017, saw ASSE win 2-0, with two Lyon red cards at the end of the game.

“This game is very important, and it’s a derby,” said Lacazette, stressing the need to respect AS Saint-Étienne, regardless of its ranking. “The ASSE is a team that must be respected and taken seriously. They have their qualities, their values. It’s up to us to be ready tomorrow.”

The attacker also stated that he did not yet know whether this confrontation would be his last face against the Greens, while ensuring that he would take advantage of this opportunity. He tempered his previous statements, referring to his initial refusal to wear green colours, explaining that it was a simple sentence that had been pronounced without preparation. He added that that’s how we get the best things out.