A lot has changed since Lyon were French football’s predominant force. Les Gones won seven Ligue 1 titles in a row between 2001 and 2007, with the likes of Juninho Pernambucano, Florent Malouda, Sonny Anderson, Sidney Govou el al. idols of the time. Now, however, the landscape has shifted.
This season saw Lyon finish a lowly seventh in the Ligue 1 table with Rudi Garcia’s side struggling for consistency throughout. This, however, is not a fair reflection of Lyon’s quality as a side. Instead, their run to this season’s Champions League quarter finals, where they will face Manchester City, paints a more accurate picture of the quality currently at the Groupama Stadium.
Pep Guardiola mustn’t take Lyon lightly. This is, after all, a team that knocked out Juventus over two legs in the previous round and a team that could feasibly exploit the weaknesses that saw City suffer such a disappointing Premier League campaign. This could be a nasty draw for the Etihad Stadium outfit, particularly with it being a singe-game tie.
Much of Lyon’s attacking play comes down the right side, which could be bad news for Manchester City given the space that often exists behind their left back. Guardiola’s side are less likely to recover the ball on the left side than the right, where the energy and tenacity of Kyle Walker makes them defensively stronger. This could benefit Lyon in their build up play in this area.
Bertrand Traore is an excellent crosser of the ball, averaging 0.8 crosses per match this season, but it’s possible Garcia could deploy the 3-5-2 system that worked so well against Juventus in Turin, which would see Leo Dubois play as a wing back on the right side. However Garcia decides to set up his side, it seems likely he will attempt to get in behind City’s full backs as often as possible. Lyon have the players to do this.
Of course, it was only last season that Lyon beat Manchester City in a Champions League group stage game at the Etihad Stadium with much of the team that played that night still at the club. In fact, City have failed to beat Lyon in three attempts in the Champions League, their longest record against a single opponent in the competition without a victory (Lyon are 5/1 to qualify).
Garcia has, more than once, proven his worth against Guardiola and his players. Lyon enjoyed a great deal of success through their squeezing of the City midfield, setting traps for their Premier League opponents to prevent them cutting through the centre of the pitch as they often do. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Garcia use this strategy again.
Since then, City have shown more of a willingness to change their style of play in Europe, reacting to the challenge in front of them. Against Real Madrid, for instance, Guardiola asked his defenders and deep-lying midfielders to go long more than they ordinarily would have. In theory, though, Lyon have pace at the back through the likes of former City centre back Jason Denayer, Marcelo and Fernando Marcal to cope with being spun towards their own goal.
It is, however, higher up the pitch where Lyon’s more eye-catching talents play. Maxwel Cornet is Garcia’s most prolific crosser with Houssem Aouar one of the most effective dribblers in French football at this moment in time, averaging 2.6 per match this season. Aouar, who has been linked with a move to City this summer as a potential successor to David Silva, forms Lyon’s creative core alongside Memphis Depay.
That Depay is most regularly deployed through the centre highlights just how fluid and interchangeable Lyon are as a team. Originally a left winger, the Dutchman has reinvented himself since leaving Manchester United three years ago, with Depay one of Lyon’s most productive dribblers (two per match this season) and their most prolific shot-taker (3.7 per match this season).
Defining Depay (who is 7/2 to score anytime) in terms of his true position can be difficult, but in that his greatest strength can be found. His tendency to drift and identify space right the way across the frontline means opposition defenders can be pulled out of position, creating opportunities for others even if Depay is tracked himself.
Moussa Dembele may not start against City, with Garcia preferring the pace of Karl Too Ekambi (4/1 to score anytime) to get in behind Juventus in the round of 16, but whether they play on the counter or look to knock crosses into the middle, Lyon have options. The French side might well be underdogs on Saturday night to make the Champions League semi finals, but City must recognise the threat they pose.
Odds correct at 0945 BST (15/08/20)
