Olympique Lyon is no longer the team of the 2000s, when it won 7 consecutive titles in France, the end of the decade culminating in a qualification to the Champions League semifinals, in the 2009-2010 season.
In the semifinals, they were stopped by Bayern Munich (0-4 on aggregate), but the “kids” had managed to get out of a group with Liverpool, Fiorentina and Debrecen and eliminate Real Madrid and Bordeaux in the upper stages. It was the season in which the last Romanian professional football player raised the supreme trophy of Europe above his head. It was Cristi Chivu, with Inter.
Lyon participated in the Champions League for 17 seasons, enough time to grow players, sell for big money, build a 415 million euro stadium (Parc OL, opened in 2012, with a capacity of 59,000 seats) and reach the semifinals once more, in the 2019-2020 season. It was also the season of the last participation in the UCL to date and the end of the club’s glory period.
Today, just a shadow of the team from that time, Lyon has in its squad a world champion, Tagliafico, integralist in the 2022 World Cup final won by Argentina, Nemanja Matic (36 years old, 4 seasons at Chelsea and 5 at Manchester United), Alexandre Lacazette (the club’s second all-time scorer – 294 goals – with 12 seasons at Lyon and 5 at Arsenal), but also Jordan Veretout, a player who has collected seasons in Serie A and the Premier League. Otherwise, just players without a solid history.
With such a background, Lyon gave in the round of 16 of the current Europa League season over FCSB, the champion of Romania.
Without breaking the bargain, but with luck on its side, Lyon dug for resources the whole match. They scored the first through Tagliafico, but FCSB controlled the game and could have scored at least 3 times, even if the possession said otherwise.
Introduced at half-time in place of Edjouma, Alex Băluță restored parity in the 68th minute.
With a wonderful audience by their side, over 53,000 people storming the National Arena, FCSB sought victory, but a few mistakes and the grace day of Brazilian goalkeeper Lucas Perri turned Lyon into the winner in just three minutes. Malick Fofana, a Belgian of only 19 years old, scored twice (‘86, ‘89) for a “near” qualification.
Gear used: Sony A1M2 + Sony FE 400-800 mm / F6.3-8 & Sony A9M2 + Sony FE 85 mm / F1.8
