Olympique Lyonnais is preparing for an intense sporting calendar, starting with a crucial confrontation this Sunday against AJ Auxerre, before focusing on the double confrontation against Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the Europa League. Although the English confrontation occupied the minds, the Rhodanian club knew that the meeting at the Abbé-Deschamps would be particularly arduous. The recent history of the AJ Auxerre at home, which has already thwarted the plans of several European teams, bears witness to the difficulty that awaits the Lyons. The Paulo Fonseca team will thus have to demonstrate resilience and ingenuity in order to prevail against a talented formation capable of being formidable in its future.

Aware of the importance of this match in the race in the European squares, Olympique Lyonnais aims to draw inspiration from the successes of Monaco and Strasbourg, the only clubs in the top 7 to have triumphed in Auxerre this season. The Rhodanian club has the opportunity to return to fourth place, a position that it has not occupied for a long time. Nevertheless, this ambition faces challenges, including the management of absences, particularly in attack, and the need to preserve the physical freshness of the team after the considerable efforts made during the match against Manchester United. The positive sentiment of Rayan Cherki’s late equalization could nevertheless serve as a motor for this new deadline.

The Paulo Fonseca team chose to continue their tight schedule, preferring to continue playing in order to avoid a later fatigue period. This decision, although a source of debate, reflects the desire to maintain the pace and to preserve the competitiveness of Olympique Lyonnais. The club presents itself to this match with the firm intention to seize the opportunity to re-enter the top 4 and demonstrate its ability to manage the demands of a two-table season, where Ligue 1 and Ligue Europa combine to offer a haunting show.