Photo by JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK / AFP)
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At the end of a year 2020 which will go down in history, Olympique Lyonnais is first in the championship. This December 31 is the opportunity to take a look in the rearview mirror to take stock of the last 12 months.
This December 31 marks the end of a very special year on all fronts. Disrupted by the global pandemic, 2020 will have offered its share of good and bad surprises to Lyon supporters. Olympique-et-lyonnais.com offers you a retrospective of the last 12 months of OL.
Everything had started well. Despite criticism of the arrival of Rudi Garcia in October, the Rhone club has chained 7 victories in all competitions in the month of January. If the game was not very flamboyant, he could count on his individualities, and in particular a Moussa Dembele in great shape (8 goals in this period). Olympique Lyonnais was then 5th after a failed start to the exercise, he could still hope to grab a European place and bonus, he was still racing in the two national cups.
The feat against Juve in February
But afterwards, everything went wrong. OL went on 4 games without a win in the league, and despite a qualification for the semi-finals of the Coupe de France acquired against Marseille (1-0), he almost said goodbye to the podium (11th to 7 points from 3rd square). Houssem Aouar and its partners then experienced highs, with the successes against Juventus in the round of 16 of the Champions League (1-0) and in the derby (2-0), then lows with the defeats against PSG in Coupe de France (1-5) and Lille (1-0).
Then everything stopped at the beginning of March. The Covid-19 got the better of the end of the championship. Jean-Michel Aulas fought to get the competition back on track by being as creative as possible, but it didn’t work. The president was too alone to turn the tables. So the ax fell on April 30. The Professional Football League recorded, after 28 days, the final stop of Ligue 1. 7th at that time, Olympique Lyonnais had what it deserved at the moment T. Too inconsistent in the results and poor in the game, he did not get a ticket to Europe in 2020-2021.
Qualified for the final of the Coupe de la Ligue, OL had an opportunity to snatch a sesame for the Europa League. But against Paris Saint-Germain, he bowed on penalties without being unworthy in this poster at the Stade de France (0-0, 6-5 tab).
A historic “Final 8”
But since the Rhone club does not want to give up a continental cup for the first time in the 21st century, it creates the feat in Turin by eliminating Juventus from the Champions League (2-1 defeat, qualifying on away goal ). He is therefore invited to the “Final 8” in Portugal. As a kid, we don’t give a lot of our skin against Manchester City in the quarter-finals. However, MemphisDepay, back after a long absence due to a ruptured cruciate ligaments, and his teammates will achieve a resounding feat by leaving the training of PepGuardiola (1-3). They are only two steps away from a victory in C1, but the next one will be too high. Bayern Munich and its impressive armada will be ruthless (0-3). The regrets exist however after this meeting because the Olympique Lyonnais touched the amounts by KarlToko-Camp. Europe is definitely moving away for him and there are many questions.
Indeed, the month of August ends and Ligue 1 resumes its rights. OL have to face a rather hectic transfer window with the departures of some players like Fernando Marçal (Wolverhampton), Rafael (Basaksehir), Bertrand traore (Aston Villa) or even Jeff-Reine Adelaide (Nice). Depay and Aouar also shake up the transfer section with many rumors sending them to Barcelona, Juventus or Arsenal. All this will disrupt the start of the season for the Rhone, who will experience 6 difficult first games. 14th, we fear that the old demons of the previous exercise will reappear.
An ongoing streak of 14 games unbeaten
An arrival then radically changed the face of this team. September 30, Lucas Paqueta officially becomes Lyonnais and he will considerably improve his new training. In addition to the integration of the Brazilian environment, Rudi Garcia will install the “KTM”. Karl Toko-Ekambi, TinoKadewere and MemphisDepay form a formidable trio in front, author of 24 goals out of 34 scored by OL so far. In the game, Olympique Lyonnais is characterized by his ability to score on quick attacks and to punish his opponent at the slightest mistake. The performances are more and more successful and he finally ends the year 2020 with a series of 14 games without defeat, including 9 victories.
Thanks to this, the Rhone club is leading the championship at the break. With 36 points, he is ahead of Lille on goal difference. A position he has not occupied at such an advanced stage of the competition since 2014-2015. He hadn’t scored so many points after 17 games since 2007-2008 (37). A good memory for the Lyon supporters because the club had been champion afterwards. A scenario that could be repeated in 2021, ideal for finally turning the page on this particular year 2020.
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