Olympique Lyonnais made a promising start to the pre-season with a convincing victory against Hamburg SV (4-0), a result that delighted coach Paulo Fonseca. After the game, Fonseca expressed his satisfaction with the progress of his team, highlighting a solid game in the first and second half, marked by a notable courage against a pressing opponent team. He particularly appreciated the commitment and solidarity of young players, noting a significant improvement over their previous meeting. Fonseca stresses the need to continue efforts to continue to make progress, while recognizing that much work remains to be done.

At the same time, the team had a notable start with the transfer of Lucas Perri to Leeds United. The Brazilian goalkeeper, who had joined OL in January 2024, expressed his gratitude to the Lyon fans, referring to the moments in the city and the club, as well as to the friendships he established there. His departure, formalized for 16 million euros plus bonuses and a share in the profits of a possible resale, marks the end of an adventure of a year and a half and 49 games played with OL. Perri, who had already known England at a loan to Crystal Palace, left the club after having satisfied his medical visit and joined Leeds United in an internship in Germany.

Lucas Perri’s absence in the first two friendly games underscores OL’s priority to fill the goaltender position during the summer mercato. During the match against Hamburg SV, Rémy Descamps and Mattéo Laysine shared the game time, while Mathieu Pattytet Yvann Konan were present on the bench. The start of Perri thus opens a new chapter for the club, which will have to find a successor able to maintain the level of performance and defensive strength displayed by the team during the pre-season.