Next Sunday will mark the long-awaited return of the derby between the AS Saint-Étienne and Olympique Lyonnais, which will take place at the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium. This meeting is part of a crucial period for Olympique Lyonnais, whose end of the season will be decisive for its European and national ambitions. After a victory in Auxerre, OL faced on Thursday night in Old Trafford a crucial game to reach the semifinals of the Europa League, before moving three days later to Saint-Étienne, where an electric atmosphere was expected by the fans of both sides, aware of the importance of the match for the race at the top 4 and for the maintenance of the Greens.

Despite an unfortunate draw against Brest, which highlighted the weaknesses of the Stéphanois defence, the AS Saint-Étienne is fully focused on the derby, where they will welcome their rivals with unwavering determination. The Olympique Lyonnais, for its part, will have the opportunity to consolidate its position and potentially open the way to second place, behind Paris Saint-Germain. The fans of both teams have already started preparing the game, with banners and songs designed to encourage their players and intimidate the opponent, as the Magic Fans illustrated during the match against Brest, demanding from their players “killers” capable of responding to the stakes.

The all-round match, won by OL on a minimalist score, had already demonstrated that rivalry could mitigate differences in theoretical level. An intense confrontation is therefore expected, where the physical challenge will play a decisive role. Rhodanian fans, for their part, should also mobilize to create a memorable atmosphere before the kick-off, with a traditional and spectacular training session, demonstrating the importance of this derby for the identity and passion of both clubs.