Having lost all four of their pre-season friendlies without scoring a single goal, on top of the DNCG sanctions on their transfer dealings this summer, Lyon could not have imagined a more difficult lead-up to the start of the Ligue 1 season.
With their opening match of the campaign, against Strasbourg, only a week away, manager Laurent Blanc’s comments after a defeat to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park yesterday did not inspire much confidence. As indicated by L’Équipe, the former Bordeaux and Paris Saint-Germain coach was ostensibly miffed at reports of his potential replacement: “The most important [match] will be against Strasbourg, if there’s still a Lyon manager by then.”
Although the comment was seemingly more of a dig at L’Équipe (given he was looking at the outlet’s reporter when he said it) than a real threat that he could leave, it was nevertheless telling of his frustration during the off-season.
To make matters worse, Blanc will be without his starting goalkeeper Anthony Lopes for the trip to Alsace, with the Portuguese international having been knocked out after a collision with Palace striker Odsonne Édouard’s knee. Although English midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles is set to arrive, the potential departures of the likes of Castello Lukeba and Bradley Barcola could see the manager go into the new season with sorely depleted options.
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