The draw for the chicken phase of the Champions League will take place this Friday at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, opposing Olympique Lyonnais (OL) with potential opponents such as AS Roma, Porto, Dynamo Zagreb and Glasgow Rangers. The rules of the regulation exclude a confrontation with teams of the same championship, thus avoiding confrontations against Lille or Nice. The competition will last eight days, from autumn to the end of January, before the direct elimination phases and the final scheduled for 20 May 2026 in Istanbul. OL aims to redeem themselves after a painful elimination against Manchester United in the previous stages of the competition. Coach Paulo Fonseca should give his reaction at a press conference this Friday afternoon.

In parallel with this draw, OL prepares for important movements within its workforce. The team is about to sell Enzo Molebe and Mahamadou Diawara, who were absent from Friday’s training. This sale is crucial to achieve a target of 40 million euros by next Monday. Molebe would be courted by FC Seville for an estimated €10 million, while Diawara could join the Royal Antwerp on loan. These starts seem imminent, as confirmed by the absences of the players in training, two days from the important game against OM.

Finally, the track leading to César Azpilicueta to strengthen OL’s defence failed. The player, free from any contract since his departure from Atlético Madrid, is engaged with FC Seville. OL, faced with financial constraints, had initially considered this option, but the player is now on his way to complete his medical examination and sign his contract with the Andalusian club. Georges Mikautadze and Malick Fofana, potentially transferred at the end of mercato, were present at the training this Friday, but their participation in Sunday’s Olympico remains uncertain. The Lyon supporters look forward to knowing the outcome of these movements.