Lyon vs Real : the acid test

By: Megame | November 2nd, 2011

6 games, 6 wins. 20 goals scored, 1 conceded. That was the month of October for Real, very probably the best European team right now.

Lyon Real

They beat Lyon in Bernabeu 4-0 two weeks ago, and we haven’t changed that much since then: Lisandro is still missing, as are Grenier and Pied. Oh, and Cissokho is now missing, too. So there’s precious little to be said, as today’s story seems to already be written. Or is it?

Clearly OL isn’t the bookmaker’s favorite side. Considering the impressive armada of Mourinho’s boys, better balanced between offense and defense than ever before, they may just wonder whether Lyon will loose 0-3 or 0-4. But there are a few points that will help keep the hopefuls hopeful.
- First, the stats : Real never won on the Rhône ground. Year after year, CL campaign after campaign, they lost (3 times), or drew at best (last year). So let the obnoxious perfumes of Gerland continue to debilitate the men in white.
- Second, the home record: OL have been undefeated at Gerland since September 25, 201 (the famous St Etienne derby lost that precipitated Puel’s fate). Since then, 27 games without defeat, 59 goals scored for only 19 conceded. It would be a good idea to get this series going…
- Third, the pride: After such a slapping / drubbing / humiliation (pick your own word) there are two ways to react: acceptance, or rebellion. And judging from some mid-week declarations by Bafé and Captain Cris, rebellion isn’t to be ruled out.
- Fourth, routine: Madrid players have been running at full steam since the end of the international break. Granted, they have enough quality players for two or three top level L1 teams, but they may eventually drop pressure a notch. And why not today, as they are undisputed N°1 of this group, and they’ve beaten Lyon easily a fortnight ago..
- Fifth, legs : As Marcelo isn’t fit, the role of official bone breaker will fall onto Pepe, alone to try and target 22 Lyonnais legs. So there may remain enough legs unbroken among Lyon’s players to score at least a goal or two…

The teams:
LYON : Lloris – Reveillère, Cris (cap.), Lovren, Dabo – Gonalons, Källström – Briand, Gourcuff, Ederson – Gomis
REAL MADRID : Casillas (cap.) – L. Diarra, Pepe, S. Ramos, Coentrao – Khedira, Xabi Alonso – Di Maria, Özil, C. Ronaldo – Benzema

Allez l’OL!

Some Related Lyon Posts:

Category: Team News and Rumors

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john

Kallstrom signed a new contract. I hope he took a massive paycut. Managment should have their heads examined if he's still making what he was making before. The fourth highest payed player on the team, and one of two players- Cris being the other, maybe Gourcuff- out of the top seven highest payed players, who really aren't worth anything near their bloated salaries.
john

http://www.goal.com/en/news/90...
I really hope that he took a severe paycut, bec otherwise, management should have their heads examined for resigning the fourth highest payed player on the roster, and the only one of the top seven who doesn't deserve to make what he makes.
carvivlie

We had some opportunities but it is obvious our defense needs help and we need more clinical finishers. Gomis needs at least 3 attempts on goal before scoring. Ederson wasted opportunities with poor touches. Against teams of this class you can't hold the ball up--you must be thinking two steps ahead. Overall though I liked our work ethic and even two goals down we played well. We have a lot to be proud of.
Luke99

Can someone please explain to me why does Benzema always celebrate when he scores against Lyon and the Lyon crowd still seem to give him a standing ovation even Cristiano the biggest showoff knows better than that
john

Cus he's an ahole. I really get sick looking at Benzema in that kit, and Zidane raiding L1 to supply the team I hate most in this world.
sdzsdz

does anyone know the status on licha, bastos, cissokho, vercoutre, pied, grenier, mensah, now lovren?...shit..
this team has a lot of character to be where we are with this kind of injury list.
Megame

0-2 final score. Lyon played at an average L1 level in the first half, and at an average CL level in the second. But Madrid probably is at the highest level they've ever reached, so this wasn't enough.
Still, this second half will leave us with regrets, for OL created several scoring opportunities. If only there had been more aggressiveness, more pressing, and more precision in the final moves... A draw seemed within reach.
Now we're left battling with Ajax who are in a better position than us...
sdzsdz

lets see if we can make it to the round of 16 now..
sdzsdz

playing better in the second half. more fearless. thats what we need! allez!
Megame

We'd better come back with sharp teeth, because Ajax leads 2-0 right now...
MattAU

Matchday 6 Madrid will already have 1st place locked in and thus will play a B team vs Ajax. I wouldn't want to leave things down to then so we need to try to snatch a point here and to beat Ajax at home.
carvivlie

Yes but RM has the best B team on the planet and Jose doesn't like to lose.
MattAU

Both those might be true, regardless, Madrid v Ajax is being played in Amsterdam 4 days before El Classico. There's a very real chance Ajax could come away with a win or draw or at worst a 2 goal loss putting their goal difference to +1.

So our situation is this -
Either we beat Ajax and put our fate in our own hands by then beating Zagreb
OR we draw 0-0 with Ajax and then have to get a better goal difference, so if Ajax lose to Madrid by 2 goals we need to beat Zagreb by 5.
A score-draw or a loss to Ajax and we're definitely out.
Megame

Cris' lack of speed shows...
Megame

Although the whole back got caught time and time again, I found Dabo interesting in his wing.
Megame

Ederson got the nod to start, ahead of Lacazette, but he's wasting his chance for the moment.
Megame

It's a pity Lovren got injured, he made some great recoveries.
sdzsdz

we woke up in the last 3 minutes of the half. hopefully we carry that into the second half. lloris playing the game of his life right now, it easily should've been 4-0 already.. allez lyonnais, please lets get a gol!
Megame

Exactly, more chances to score in the last 3 mins than in the rest of the first half... These Lyonnais need to be more aggressive.
sdzsdz

we're playing like chickens. we aren't even trying to get the ball going forward..
Luke99

any Links???
sdzsdz

http://88.80.11.29/40928/watch-lyon-vs-real-madrid