Last Sunday, OL defeated PSG in Ligue 1 at Parc des Princes (2-1). Despite being injured, Pavel Sulc enjoyed this victory from his home. “Unfortunately, I was in front of my TV, but the victory was fantastic. I felt how hard the team worked for this match. It was an essential success for us in the standings, and I am very happy about it.” This success allowed the Gones to stay in the race for a Champions League qualification, as they are currently third with 54 points, tied with Lille and ahead of Rennes (5th, 53 points), Marseille (6th, 52 points), and AS Monaco (7th, 50 points), with 4 matches left in the season.
OL publicly accepts responsibility
Being well-positioned, the Groupama Stadium residents know they control their fate. They must continue getting good results against Auxerre at home [tomorrow at 3 PM](https://www.footmercato.net/live/4004290158852667772-lyon-vs-auxerre[]()), then facing Rennes (May 3) at home. After that, they need to secure three points against Toulouse (May 10), a team Lyon has struggled against in the past. Finally, everything could be on the line at home on May 17 against Lens, who could be in contention for the title against Paris. The Rhodaniens want to finish the season strong, emphasizing teamwork. Coach Paulo Fonseca spoke openly about the club’s ambitions.
“Against Auxerre, the match will be very different from last Sunday against PSG. We are four matches away from the end; the whole team is aware of the stakes and the importance of this final sprint. We need to stay balanced and realistic because our schedule is demanding. Beating Paris changes a lot of things. It opens up possibilities and brings a lot of confidence. However, it’s just one victory and three more points. We need to repeat this performance in each of the final four matches.”
4 finals to play
His coach agrees, focusing on the positive pressure of the Champions League goal. “It’s an objective we must think about all the time. We are calm, but everyone understands the stakes. No one expected us to be at this stage in the competition. We are ambitious and fully grasp the importance of the present moment.” Lyon faces a tough first obstacle tomorrow against Auxerre, a team known for their counter-attacking prowess. Coach stresses the need for extreme focus to avoid surprises, emphasizing quick ball movement.
He adds, “The truth is that deep-lying teams put us in difficulty. This will be the case tomorrow against a compact team that plays on the counter-attack. I prefer to face attacking teams like Rennes or Lens. We need patience to attack the spaces. We have worked a lot on combinations and individual decision-making to increase our offensive options.” Sulc, back from injury and feeling good, may not start the match but could come on as a substitute. The Czech, set to play in the World Cup in a few weeks, is determined. “I obviously want to play in the World Cup, but that doesn’t mean I will hold back with OL.” There are still 4 finals left to achieve their goal and allow OL to dream again of the Champions League.
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