Hastily recruited in the summer of 2021, Jérôme Boateng has not yet met expectations. But it is not on the sporting level that OL are embarrassed with the German world champion.
L’Olympique Lyonnais will try this Sunday to finally chain a second consecutive victory during the reception of Lille. A bet that will be made with Jérôme Boateng, back in favor with the return of Laurent Blanc to business. The OL coach has decided to rely on experienced players to stem the downward spiral, and this seems to be succeeding for the moment. Like Houssem Aouar, the German international takes his role to heart and seems more and more sharp, even if he does not yet have a whole match in his legs.
🚨 Here are the 21 players selected by our coach, Laurent Blanc, to face Lille this Sunday 🔴🔵#OLLOSC
⏰ 8:45 p.m.
🏟 Groupama Stadium pic.twitter.com/T8R5gzXQ7U— Olympique Lyonnais (@OL) October 29, 2022
His adventure at OL remains very mixed for the moment, with uneven performances last year and a gradual sidelining by Peter Bosz. Despite his big contract, the former Bayern Munich has never demobilized. Nevertheless, the Rhone club clearly regrets having recruited him, and this for extra-sporting problems. This Sunday, Le Parisien looks at Boateng’s sulphurous past, and in particular his two ongoing legal cases. First, there is his ongoing trial for “ intentional assault and battery with his ex-wife, the mother of his two twins. Then the revelations of an investigation by the German media into the suicide of his former girlfriend, after a tumultuous relationship and documents that the victim was forced to sign according to his family.
OL would not have recruited him
Two cases that have largely tarnished his reputation in Germany, even if the player is still relatively spared in France, where it is less publicized. Nevertheless, this situation inevitably displeases OL, who find themselves stuck. According to the indiscretions of the Parisian, the Lyon club is “ very uncomfortable » and does not speak publicly about this affair, even less to support his player. Even his recruitment is called into question, because his hasty purchase in the summer of 2021 had caused his current procedure to be forgotten, and within OL, it is assured that Boateng would never have signed with such a deal in Classes. For the moment in any case, it is radio silence on this file which has not yet been judged, and which allows the central defender to concentrate on the field.