Champions League Preview: Olympique Lyonnais versus Schalke
Frustrating Start
Olympique Lyonnais and Schalke have both started their league season in a highly disappointing manner. Both the sides ended as runner-up in their competitions last season but there was good news for them as they were able to qualify for Champions League with some degree of trepidation.
In the last season, OL toiled in Ligue 1 compared to their usual high standards. Huge summer investment proved really unsuccessful in French as Olympique de Marseille clinched the French league title. Sadly Claude Puel’s side had to make a late rally for second. Without a doubt, Les Gones outstanding performance in Europe proved to be the only reason that their current boss is still at the Rhone valley side.
However, only one win in five League matches has left Lyon seven points off the pace of surprise and current leaders Toulouse. Still there are no signs of improvement from Lyon in the opening weeks of the season. In the latest league fixtures, Les Gones took the lead against Valenciennes, when the Jeremy Pied scored for OL. But the visitors hit back after the break, giving OL another frustrating Saturday evening.
So often Lyon have elevated themselves for the big UEFA Champions League nights at Stade Gerland in recent seasons, and this time again they will have to do that in order to progress to next round and prove that the French club still promises the same level of commitment to silverware that they once used to.
Lacking Harmony
If Lyon’s start to their Ligue 1 campaign has been ordinary; Schalke’s assault on the Bundesliga has been nothing short of disastrous thus far as they have crumbled to three defeats in their opening three matches.
In their latest fixture, Hoffenheim were able to take three points from die Koenigsblauen, claiming a 2-0 success on Friday evening. There have been quite new faces introduced in the side over the summer months. It is very shocking that Felix Magath’s side have lost in the early weeks of the season, though the sheer level of their problems hadn’t been anticipated.
“We lacked the harmony on the pitch,” the boss explained after Schalke side’s away loss.
However, it has been three seasons since Schalke last played in the European Cup proper with their presence. During 2007-08, when Schalke was competing in UEFA Champions League they managed to reach the quarter-finals after winning from a tough group of teams. Nonetheless their campaign ended with a defeat against Barcelona.
They have added their attacking sources by signing Spanish Legend Raul and young talented Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. The Bundesliga outfit are favourites to reach the knock stages.
TEAM NEWS
Lyon
OL have been afflicted with hamstring issues. Cristiano Marques Gomes, is one of the player who those who is suffering, while his team-mate and defence partner Aly Cissokho won’t return in time to feature either. To feature either. There have been some doubts over the Ederson’s career after the Brazilian completely crushed the muscle playing for Brazil earlier this season.
There were many players benched at the league game, giving OL a useful breather before Tuesday’s big match.
Schalke
With a versatile player like Felix Magath’s present in the squad who has a tendency to rotate his side and formation; it’s quite difficult to predict who will feature on this big night for Schalke.
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