In the run-up to the Europa League’s return quarter-final against Manchester United, there has been encouraging news: Lyon winger Malick Fofana will be available for the game. Absent from the field for almost a month following a knee injury contracted in a match with the Belgian national team, his absence weighed on the team during the game going against the Red Devils. The Lyon nugget was forced to watch the game from the bench, depriving the team of a valuable asset.

This Wednesday morning, the confirmation came: Malick Fofana is indeed in the Lyon group that is going to England. Although his return is excellent news for Olympique Lyonnais, it is likely that he will begin the match as a replacement, allowing coach Paulo Fonseca to keep the same attack composition used during the game-go, with Georges Mikautadze, Thiago Almada and Rayan Cherki in the front line. This pragmatic decision aims to preserve tactical continuity and fully assess the physical condition of the winger.

However, there is still uncertainty about the participation of Alexandre Lacazette and Nemanja Matic, also on the bench during the game-go. Olympique Lyonnais will therefore have to rely on its available players in order to tackle this crucial match at the Théâtre des Dreams, in the hope of winning a positive result and thus entering a new glorious page in the history of French football.