‘We now have to lift our sport’: Pierre Sage challenges Lyon gamers to up their stage TERMAN WEBSITE

Olympique Lyonnais coach Pierre Sage has known as on his gamers to up their sport forward of Saturday’s journey to FC Lorient. The match will see eleventh positioned Lyon face thirteenth positioned Lorient in a high-stakes sport that Sage conceded may very well be a season-defining six pointer: 

“You may see it like that. They’re a direct rival within the relegation battle. The concept is to get to nearer to 35 factors. If we get three factors at Lorient and handle to place a little bit of distance between us and them, all the higher, however I believe we’ll survive if we handle to achieve 35 factors.”

Each groups are on nice kind, profitable 4 of the final 5 matches in all competitions, and the Lyon supervisor is notably cautious of their menace: 

” They’ve modified their squad a bit. It’s a staff that works arduous over a complete match. Regis le Bris is a supervisor that I do know nicely personally, he simply wanted time. There was a number of upheaval in his squad final winter, this summer season with modifications on and off the sphere, new gamers arriving. He has made enhancements over time and we’re beginning to see actually constructive issues. That’s good for him, it reveals his good work. When it comes to the sport itself, Lorient are able to conserving possession and we might want to shut off the house excessive up the pitch.

We can have to have the ability to break them down once we get the ball, they’ll play in the same solution to how Strasbourg did within the Coupe de France, and all of us bear in mind the problems we needed to knock them off steadiness. It’s a problem at this stage. We must be at our greatest and lift our sport. They’ll be contemporary, they’re in the same state of affairs to us within the league. “

Lyon have been drawn at house in opposition to Valenciennes FC within the semi-finals of the Coupe de France, with the tie set to be performed on April 2. With the guests twentieth in Ligue 2, standard knowledge would recommend that the house aspect are heavy favourites, one thing that coach Pierre Sage is eager to refute: 

“Everybody thinks that is the perfect draw, however I personally assume it’s the worst. The one factor I’m glad with is enjoying at house in entrance of our supporters. I, just like the gamers and employees, wish to come along with the followers once more however to do this, we’ll must win the sport beforehand. Why is it the worst draw? As a result of Valenciennes don’t have anything to lose and all the things to achieve.

We now have to watch out in matches like these, we’ll must be at our greatest. To try this, we’ll have to organize by enjoying nicely in our league sport beforehand, to permit us to strategy this sport in the easiest way. Once you go to play in Paris for instance, it’s an achievement should you win, however we have now to win this sport in opposition to Valenciennes. It’s not received upfront, we’ll must win it on the sphere. 

There are damage doubts over Alexandre Lacazette, Orel Mangala and Nicolas Tagliafico for the encounter, with all three to be assessed forward of kick off on Saturday. 

GFFN | Jack McArdle