LYON: Like You Need an Introduction
By: Sam | July 23rd, 2007
As the start of the season looms, it’s time for the France Offside to give you an in-depth look at each of the 20 teams vying for Hexagoal. Today, we meet Olympique Lyonnais, the team that, well, owns everyone.
The team: Lyon didn’t make as many changes as some clubs so far this summer, but the moves they have made have been significantly bigger than most. First off, in are Mathieu Bodmer and Kader Keita from Lille, a pair of excellent midfielders. Also arriving is Nadir Belhadj from Sedan and world champion Fabio Grosso from Inter. Not without their losses, Lyon has to cope with the void being left by former captain Claudio Caçapa, Tiago gone to Juventus, Malouda gone to Chelsea and Eric Abidal gone to Barcelona, amongst others.
Nevertheless, it goes without saying that Lyon’s got a strong squad. Of course there’s French international GrĂ©gory Coupet minding the net, and up-and-comer RĂ©my Vercoutre serving as an able alternative. The backline features all sorts of internationals, such as Grosso (Italy), François Clerc, Anthony RĂ©veillière, SĂ©bastien Squillaci (France), Patrick MĂĽller (Switzerland) and Cris (Brazil). Can you ask for more? OL’s midfield is new-look, but still strong. The arrivals of Bodmer and Keita compliment Kim Kallström, JĂ©rĂ©my Toulalan and the incomparable Juninho. But, up front is where Lyon make it happen. More first-choice strikers then you can count on your two hands, almost. Milan Baros, Fred and Sidney Govou are experienced and talented internationals, whereas Karim Benzema and Hatem Ben Arfa are tearing defenders apart while they can barely walk into a pub yet.
Stacked? Yes. Again? Yes. Expect attack and more attack from this side again this year.
The coach: GĂ©rard Houllier gone after two years and two titles, Lyon wasted no time in getting the man they wanted: Alain Perrin, formerly of Sochaux. Having coached Troyes for a good decade from 1993 to 2002, he has since embarked on a musical chairs game of coaching jobs, which has brought him from Marseille to the United Arab Emirates, then to Portsmouth and back to France in the space of four years.
The stadium: It’s not OL Land quite yet, but Stade Gerland is quite the stadium the way it is. 40,000 is not particulary large for a club of Lyon’s status, but the new generation of fans in France are becoming Lyon supporters, who can blame them? Young and eager crowds pack Gerland for home games.
The final say: Not as strong as last year. But strong. The seventh title may not be a walk in the park, but they’ll still get it.
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