One evening in March 2017, FC Barcelona achieved an incredible feat: overcoming a gap of 4 goals during a return match. To evoke this magnificent memory, we today use the term “remontada”. On the evening of May 19, 2024, it is therefore appropriate to ask ourselves what term will now be attached to the second part of the 2023-2024 season of Olympique Lyonnais, bottom red in December, which has just punched its ticket for the League Europa by clinching 6th place in the Ligue 1 standings.
Crazy, all the way
At Groupama Stadium, OL defeated Strasbourg (2-1) thanks to a penalty from the inevitable Alexandre Lacazette in the final moments (90+6th), after conceding a penalty in the 77th minute which could have thwart their ultimate hopes. But nothing and no one upsets this OL. This OL has become quite simply irresistible, almost as irresistible as Clinton Mata’s smile at the microphone of Prime Video. “It’s simply beautifulthe right-back rejoiced, while behind him, in the aisles of the stadium, Anthony Lopes burst into tears and John Textor screamed with joy and vigorously embraced each member of the squad. We think back to where we came from, we really struggled, we never gave up.”
This match, “this is the story of our season“, blurted out Pierre Sage, for the umpteenth time during his incredible mandate at the head of Les Gones. “We could have had an easy scenario, we fell back into a usual scenario.” The Lyon coach was close to anonymity at the start of the season, here he has become a magician, a living god between the Rhône and Saône. You only have to see the look of Joahn Silvestri, the capo of the Bad Gones, came to place a resounding kiss on his cheek, in the middle of an interview for Free on the lawn, to hear his “Thank you, Peter“to convince yourself.”The crazy thing is that the supporters have always been there. They deserve to encourage each other as much as we do, they have their share of responsibility for success“, the Lyon technician repeated all evening. “What we did is historic.”
The victory of an entire city
“It’s the best season we’ve had in Lyon since the titles, I think.posed Alexandre Lacazette for his part. There were European qualifications, but where we come from, how we spoke to each other, with what we did to come back… It’s the victory of an entire city.” “We couldn’t imagine, even just two weeks ago, being sixth“, admitted Corentin Tolisso. Everyone is categorical: they have never experienced this. “If I had to do it again, I would do it every day to have this emotion today“, even blurted out the one who became, remember, world champion with the French team in 2018.
One man, however, in the midst of the general intoxication, managed to project himself onto the match that awaits Olympique Lyonnais next Saturday: the final of the Coupe de France against Paris Saint-Germain. “We are going to play this match to win, and I emphasize this wordwarned Pierre Sage, losing his slight smile for a short moment. We have a final to win, and we can put a capital H to the word ‘historic’ with this trophy“That would be the pompom.