Lyon don put themselves for corner after di 2-1 defeat for Prague for di first leg of di Champions League third qualifying round. Now dem go need to win for Groupama Stadium to continue dia journey for di competition.
Di return match, wey go happen dis Tuesday night, na big test for coach Paulo Fonseca. Fans don dey question im choices and strategy, especially after how di team don dey struggle for key matches. One elimination now, e go be serious blow, both for sport and for money.
Di club dey still under watch from DNCG, di French football financial watchdog. Michele Kang, di American businesswoman wey buy di club for June, don see say di club still get plenty financial wahala. For di Champions League phase, OL go fit make around 40 to 50 million euros. But if dem comot now, dem go only get about 20 million for Europa League. So na big difference.
And even if dem manage to overturn di result, dem still get another barrier: di playoff tie against Fenerbahce or Sturm Graz, with Fenerbahce carrying 2-0 lead from di first leg.
Fonseca, wey join di club for January 2025 as replacement for Pierre Sage, get contract wey go end next June. Dem no go likely sack am because that go cost plenty money, but e no confirm sey dem go extend im contract. Im salary na 400,000 euros per month, and dat don make some people think twice.
Di Portuguese coach don try for some ways, but dem don remind am of di misses: di Europa League quarter-final loss to Manchester United, di last-16 exit to Celta Vigo last season, and di bad end to di league campaign with losses to Toulouse and Lens.
For di pre-match press conference, Fonseca talk say: “We must win and take risks to overturn di negative result. Scoring first go be important, but e go contest.” E also announce say Malick Fofana and Ernest Nuamah go start, unlike di first leg, and say e go use four-man defense instead of five, with Moussa Niakhaté back from suspension.
Di match don start, and Lyon don already show say dem serious. Ernest Nuamah score for di 20th minute to cut di deficit. Den for di 34th minute, Adam Sevinsky, di Sparta central defender, don see red card after e stop Loïs Openda as di last man. Referee Szymon Marciniak no waste time to send am off.
So with one man advantage and di goal, Lyon dey hold strong. But di job no done yet, because dem still need win by two clear goals to go straight through, or else e go go extra time or penalties.
