At Parc OL,

"It's a beautiful life lesson." And yes, Laurent Blanc goes until then this Sunday to qualify a victory (3-1) against Rennes that is unlikely to remain in the memories of Lyon supporters. Already because the Parc OL was two-thirds empty or almost, the total of 44,671 tickets published by the club being more than ever anecdotal. And above all: Alexandre Lacazette's partners could rush to the Europa League in case of success in Nantes (14th in Ligue 1) on Wednesday, then against Toulouse (12th) in the final of the Coupe de France. But no, it's so much more OL to scuttle the prospect of a first trophy in eleven years at the Beaujoire (1-0), while signing two unexpected successes in the same week in Paris (0-1) and therefore against Rennes to cling to the "crazy hope" of a qualification in the Europa League Conference (youhou).

The debacle in Nantes had everything of a final knockout in this season as cataclysmic as the previous one. A good Easter nap schedule, a stadium without corners or encouragement, and immediately a ball from the Barcola-Diomande tandem to allow the former Lyonnais Amine Gouiri to make this Sunday even more gloomy (0-1, 11th). "Given the big disappointment we experienced on Wednesday, the first 45 minutes of this match can be explained by fear, technical and mental shyness," explains Laurent Blanc. We are punished for not playing and the ball burns our feet. Rennes could have benefited even more. I was convinced that it would be better in the second half, but not at this level. »

"More determination and risk-taking"

Apathetic, like a Rayan Cherki whistled by part of the stadium, and without the slightest change made at the break, OL were destined for a tenth defeat this season in Ligue 1, and a drubbing similar to that suffered a year earlier against the band to Bruno Genesio (2-4). But precisely since the Genesio era, OL's main DNA is to be unreadable and unpredictable. A sublime strike from Corentin Tolisso (1-1, 60th), author of the same blow of his first goal since his return to his training club, launched a last half hour quite crazy side Lyon. "There was more determination, risk-taking, and goals," sums up a bluffed Laurent Blanc.

"We hope it will put us back in after the defeat in Nantes which hurt us a lot. We try to tell ourselves that it's not over. We will give everything until the end in any case, we will never give up, "says Bradley Barcola, who closed the OL festival on a caviar of Rayan Cherki (3-1, 79th), after the 18th goal in L1 of Alexandre Lacazette (2-1, 68th). Marked by the absence of any change on the Lolo White side (take the rule of five substitutions), this success against Rennes is the first obtained after being led by Lyon since... February 2022.

"It means that mentally we are able to react, but I see that it's been a while since we reacted," smiled Laurent Blanc, roomer in front of journalists pointing out that the qualification in the Europa League Conference is now only five points. "Two days ago, you told me that there was nothing more to hope for this season," slips the coach of an OL now 7th in the championship. "We are competitors and we want to reach this fifth place, continues Corentin Tolisso. It's five points so it's playable. But we must not take ourselves for others since we won against Paris and Rennes. »

"Progress is slow and small"

All that would be missing for a club on the verge of being wiped out of European competition for the third time in the last four years. Lucid on this subject, the 2018 world champion is not particularly convinced by the thesis of the click obtained against a Stade Rennais almost as sick as OL.

I hope, I hope... I think we had a different discourse at half-time of this match compared to Nantes. We managed to talk well together. Even though we were losing 0-1, we didn't give up, we stood together and we pushed. In the heads, it feels good. »

It is as if Lyon were (finally) vaccinated against any sudden euphoria, which normally suggests an offensive festival like the one of the last half hour this Sunday. In this regard, the prize goes to the end of Laurent Blanc's press conference: "Be careful, we have not done anything extraordinary. Progress is being made, but progress is slow and small at the same time. But now, we have to settle for that. Many people expect something else but you have to go slowly. In any case, we have no choice, we cannot do otherwise." Through the voice of his coach, the seven-time France champion now has no equal to mask his ambitions to return to the forefront.

  • Football
  • Sport
  • Olympique Lyonnais (OL)
  • Stade Rennais
  • Ligue 1
  • Lyon
  • Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
  • Rhône-Alpes
  • Laurent Blanc
  • Rennes
  • Brittany