OL team prepares to face Angers this Friday at 8:45 p.m. at the Groupama Stadium, with a slightly reduced strength due to injuries and suspensions. Rémy Descamps and Abner are unavailable for this game, while Tyler Morto is suspended. Paulo Fonseca, the coach, focuses on key players such as Corentin Tolisso, Nicolas Tagliafico and Moussa Niakhaté, while integrating young talents such as Teo Barišić, Enzo Molebe and Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez, as well as Khalis Merah. A group of 21 players was convened for the 5th day of Ligue 1.

A symbolic gesture marked the preparation of OL: Karim Benzema, trained in Lyon and currently in Bron, lent his crampons to Khalis Merah, a young midfielder who stands out this season. This witness passage, initiated by the former attacker of Real Madrid, demonstrates the importance that OL attaches to the training of young players and the admiration they have for the iconic figures of the club. This initiative certainly rejoiced Merah, who aspired to follow the career of Benzema, a true model for Lyon youth.

At the same time, tensions were revealed following the previous match against Rennes. Habib Beye, Rennes coach, denounced the unfounded accusations made by Jorge Maciel, Paulo Fonseca’s deputy, regarding his behaviour against the Lyon staff. Beye claimed that he had not insulted anyone and that he had been the victim of an image hijacked by a French media, unjustly damaging him. He invites to look at the match in question to verify the truthfulness of the facts.