Juninho dreams of returning to http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Olympique-Lyonnais-c40130 – Ligue 1 news
Vasco da Gama playmaker Juninho is hoping to make a comeback at Olympique Lyonnais in the future. The former Brazilian international has not forgotten his time at Stade de Gerland and regrets his controversial withdrawal from the Rhone club.
The 36-year-old had played 248 games and has scored 75 goals for Les Gones.
In an interview to French sports daily, L’Equipe, the former Sport Recife man expressed his disappointment after being pushed out from Lyon in summer 2009. “At that time, I was a little disappointed because I could have given a lot more to Lyon... In fact,
I think I deserve a little more respect. I did not think of leaving that way,” said Juninho.
He further added that he was almost compelled to making his last game as the last match at the Rhone club. Juninho had to cut his contract short in his last year and moved as a free agent to Qatari side http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Al-Gharafa-c38306.
It has been rumoured that Claude Puel, upon his appointment as the club’s new coach in 2008, did not want to include the Brazilian in his plans and played a big role in forcing http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Juninho-c20055 into leaving the club in 2009.
The Pernambuco native has scored 4 goals and supplied 6 assists in his recent 16 appearances for http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Vasco-da-Gama-c40872. The 36-year-old believes that he can still perform for Lyon as he used to. He was quoted saying, “When I see my performance here, I’m sure I could
do something again for Lyon. France misses me a lot.”
Juninho has seen the rise of Lyon into Ligue 1 Championelle as he was present when the Rhone club won their seven consecutive Ligue 1 titles – from 2001 to 2008. Though Les Gones have encountered a trophy drought since 2008, Juninho still believes that the
former Lyon coach Claude Puel is one of the best coaches in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/France-c2899.
The captain of Vasco da Gama was quoted saying, “I had no personal problems with him... I still believe he is one of the best coaches in France.”
Furthermore, the Brazilian playmaker wants not only to return to his former club, but he would also like to try his luck at coaching the club. He said that he would like to do something special for Les Gones after staying at Stade de Gerland for nine years.
Juninho’s return to Lyon would heal the Brazilian’s wound of his sudden departure in 2009, as well as benefit the young squad of the Rhone club with his vast experience.
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