Jean-Michel Aulas defends Olympique Lyonnais – Ligue 1 news
Things are certainly not going the way as they used to for Ligue 1 giants http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Olympique-Lyonnais-c40130. Les Gones may not be able to qualify for the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League this time around after a 0-0 draw at home against Eredivisie giants Ajax Amsterdam.
However, club president Jean-Michel Aulas has given his team full backing and in a press conference on Wednesday night, the Lyon supremo defended his club that is about to face a first round exit from the Champions League for the first time in many years.
While talking to the media, the Frenchman revealed that the club will take at least three years to fully recover.
“Until 2014, we will not be in a position to compete with the best European clubs. It has been three years during which we have done well in Europe. This does not mean that we will not get good results because the club has an excellent training centre and
good players in the squad. I feel we have the potential to win a trophy this year,” Aulas said.
Europa League is a competition that could be in the offing for Lyon which is widely considered as a consolation price for teams that are dumped out of the Champions League group stages.
However, while talking to L’Equipe, Aulas said that he is not upset by the prospect of playing in the Europa League. Aulas however stated that qualifying for the Champions League via a good Ligue 1 finish was the number 1 priority of the club.
However, despite all the optimism coming from Aulas, Lyon will be hard pressed to compete on so many shores in the coming months especially after the Lyon supremo confirmed that he will let go of at least two big name players in the summer transfer window.
Aulas is looking to lower down the wage bill of the club and the departure of two key players is inevitable.
The likes of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Yoann-Gourcuff-c37416 are reported to be on the brink of moving away from Stade de Gerland. Gourcuff arrived at the Rhone club last season from Bordeaux and has not settled down well at the club so Aulas will certainly be assessing
his performance this season before coming to a decision.
Tags: