Ligue 1 – Match Preview: Olympique Lyon versus Saint Etienne
As the first division of French club football reaches its seventh round of matches, Lyon host Saint Etienne in a season defining encounter for the French giants. Lyon have been the pre-eminent club in France for the past seven or
eight years, during this time they have won numerous domestic championships and have also represented French football in the UEFA Champions League.
Last season in the 2009-2010 Ligue 1 season, Lyon didn’t impress at all but they did remarkably well in the UEFA Champions League, where they knocked out the likes of Real Madrid to proceed to the semi-finals of the competition. However
in the semis they lost to Bayern Munich in both home and away legs. This season, fans have raised their voice and have come out in numbers to stress that they want their team to compete effectively in both competitions rather than a single one; by both competitions
the Lyon fans mean the domestic league as well as the UEFA Champions League.
However, the way the season has started for Lyon, the jury is still out on whether the former French champions will be able to compete at all this season. Currently, Lyon occupy the 17th placed spot in the Ligue 1 table
as they have only gathered five points from their opening six matches in the domestic league. They have lost three, drawn two and won only one out of the total six matches that they have played thus far in the 2010-2011 league season. In their first league
match of the season, Lyon hosted their rivals Monaco, in a game that was expected to be a cracking encounter but Lyon’s defensive tactics turned it into a dull spectacle and in the end both teams played out an unimpressive goalless draw.
After drawing against Monaco, Lyon played SM Caen in a match that they were expected to win but they made the grave mistake of underestimated the Caen side which proceeded to give them a good battering. In the end, Caen won the match
by a margin of a singular goal as the match at the score line of 3-2. Lyon won their next match after putting in an unconvincing performance at their home ground against Stade Brestois. However, in their fourth match of Ligue 1, Lyon suffered a comprehensive
defeat against F.C Lorient as the match ended at the score line of two nil.
In their latest match in the French Ligue 1, Lyon lost to Bordeaux by a fair margin of two goals. Lyon’s manager Claude Puel has been under pressure due to his side’s horrid start to the new league season. On the other hand, Saint
Etienne are currently at the top of the Ligue 1 standings as they have only a single match out of their six league matches so far in Ligue 1. Etienne presently have a total of thirteen points from six matches as they have won four matches, drawn one and lost
one. In doing so they have also accumulated a healthy goal difference of positive five, if they do continue their present form, Etienne have a very good chance to winning their first French league title in over twenty nine years as they last Ligue 1 win came
way back in 1981.
At the end of the 2009-2010 season Saint Etienne ended at the 17th placed spot in the Ligue 1 table. Thus if they do win the domestic league this season, it will be a massive improvement of sixteen places for them as far
as the league tables are concerned. Etienne’s only defeat this season came at the start of the league campaign against Paris Saint Germain, their away form however has not been perfect as they did draw against Stade Rennes as well.
This match will decide whether Lyon are ready to get their season back on track or if Saint Etienne really are the new contenders for the French football league’s first division title. The favourites have to be Lyon because they are
playing at home but complacency has plagued former French champions recently, something that they cannot afford to prevail against Etienne.
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