How could Karl Toko Ekambi become the unexpected “Mr. Europa League” on the Lyon side this season?

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At Parc OL,

With 6 goals and 6 assists in 9 games, Karl Toko Ekambi would be almost as decisive as Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi if we stick to his career in the Europa League. Already inspired in this competition with Villarreal in 2018-2019, the Cameroonian striker is downright stunning on his first two outings of the season in C3. Author of a phenomenal goal in Glasgow two weeks earlier (0-2), he put it back this Thursday against Brondby by investigating a brace in seven minutes, before offering a caviar to Houssem Aouar after a tumble on the wing right (3-0, 86th).

To say that the 29-year-old had missed everything or almost until then, like an off-topic ladle at the end of the counter-attack (0-0, 36th). “The first half was very difficult for him, he was not really in the game, admits Peter Bosz. But in the second half, he was much better, and even very important for us with his goals and his crosses. Karl Toko Ekambi quickly knew this summer that he could count on the support of the new Lyon coach.

“We see immediately that Karl is an intelligent player”

We admit to being startled when the latter went there with strong praise towards “KTE” after a preparation match won against Wolfsburg in July (4-1): “We see immediately that Karl is a very good player, an intelligent player. . As soon as you tell him something, he understands and he applies it in the field ”. Since his arrival in January 2020 under Rudi Garcia, it must be said that Karl Toko Ekambi had never amazed us with his “football IQ”, despite a good period in Ligue 1 at the end of 2020 (9 goals and 4 assists).

Current top scorer in the Europa League tied with the Neapolitan (and ex-Lille) Victor Osimhen and Galeno (Braga), the person played it modest this Thursday at the microphone of RMC Sport: “It’s true that I stay on two good games in this competition which is long. Collectively, we got off to a good start, we knew we would have to be patient with Brondby’s five-man defense ”.

Used in its best register by Peter Bosz

This season, the one who also unlocked his counter in L1 against Lorient on Saturday (1-1) knows that he will be managed in his best register by Peter Bosz. Namely that of an attacker from the side (mainly to the left) unpredictable when launched in depth. So that even deprived of his two points Moussa Dembélé and Islam Slimani (Tino Kadewere, just back from injury, was on the bench), the Dutch coach preferred to start Lucas Paqueta in the center forward.

“Karl can play there too. But Lucas has above all one quality: very well to keep the ball in front ”, specifies Peter Bosz. It is not guaranteed that “KTE” offers such guarantees in number 9. But to throw his head after a delivery of Paqueta (1-0, 64th), or to conclude a good job of Rayan Cherki with coolness with the right foot (2-0, 71st), he knows how to respond. He even sparked a real wind of madness this Thursday, at the heart of a meeting until then a little dull. Call him “Mr. Europa League”! Look, the last Lyon double scorer in a European match played at Parc OL was none other than Maxwel Cornet, three years ago, against Manchester City of Pep Guardiola (2-2). Like what in Lyon, Europe sublimates unexpected players.


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