Lucas Paqueta, when “the impossible” almost becomes the norm with the luminous “soldier” from Lyon

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At Parc OL,

Two high-level matches chained in less than 48 hours, with 9,000 kilometers (and 10 hours) of travel, plus six hours of time difference, between one and the other. We would have liked to embark on a novel of anticipation on a Mondial de soccer for cyborgs in the year 4021 that we would not have gone so far in the scenario.
Lucas Paqueta Yet has just shown us on Saturday that such sweet madness can be accompanied both by a daring and a passion for its sport contagious in an entire club, and a crucial success in the race for the podium in
League 1.

“If he plays tonight, it’s completely impossible for him to be in the group against Monaco,” Peter Bosz said without bluff, Thursday at a press conference. How, after 61 minutes played during this Brazil-Uruguay (4-1) completed in Manaus (gateway to the Amazon jungle) Friday at 4 am (French time), could the “completely impossible” turn into 26 minutes of masterclass insolent ease
against AS Monaco (2-0) ?

The connection between Lucas Paqueta and Neymar often hits the mark with the Seleçao, as here Thursday during Brazil-Uruguay. NELSON ALMEIDA – AFP

“He traveled, he came back late and he was still exemplary”

“He is a high class player and also a soldier. He traveled, he came back late and he was still exemplary, ”explains Karl Toko Ekambi, first scorer on the penalty spot on Saturday (1-0, 75th). At the origin of this action concluded by a badly controlled tackle from Axel Disasi on Léo Dubois: a bright pass in the interval from Lucas Paqueta. By entering the game in the 67th minute in a suddenly molten stadium just for him, and within a team short of ideas, the Brazilian made the Monegasque side Caio Henrique live a nightmare.

Pass between the legs, small bridge, large bridge, feigned heel, blind deviation, the maestro of the OL has left its technical palette great evenings. But it is by going into exile for once on the left side that he reserves his ultimate treat for the 90th minute of play. After a two-handed corner with Houssem Aouar, the whole stadium thinks that Lucas Paqueta will quietly hand him over back in order to gain a few precious seconds.

The new Lisandro Lopez in the heart of the bends?

But while fixing Aouar with his gaze next to him, the former Milanese split with a caress from the outside of the left foot, as remotely guided in the race of Emerson, right between Gelson Martins and Ruben Aguilar. Two seconds later, Jason Denayer doubled the bet (2-0, 90th) and the slow motion of the brilliant blow of Paqueta is intended to go around the world, and even beyond 9,000 km to Manaus. “He is a fantastic player who brings a lot to the team, insists Jérôme Boateng. I think it’s great for our fans to see him play. “

We were even facing a furious osmosis on Saturday between the Lyon maestro and the 50,585 Lyon spectators, which refers more to the popularity rating of Lisandro Lopez than that of Memphis depay and even Alexandre Lacazette. “Lucas Paqueta wanted to start when he had played 42 hours earlier before taking a plane,” said Peter Bosz after the match. I was not supposed to bring him in but I took a big risk and it ended well. “

Argentina-Brazil shock in November offers way too much rest

This taste for risk of the number 10 Lyon (1,203 minutes played, all competitions, in 2021-2022), already rewarded a month ago with a nice goal against Strasbourg in L1, two days after a success against Peru (2- 0), says a lot about his attachment to OL. Such Chuck Norris Facts a decade earlier, jokes have been blazing since Saturday evening on the extraordinary aspect of the fellow, that some imagine to follow his anthology week by giving a hand to the emergency room of the Edouard Herriot hospital or on
the SaintéLyon.

Lucas Paqueta once again recalled, in a vivid way on Saturday, to what extent there was an OL with and an OL without his brilliant number 10.
Lucas Paqueta once again reminded us, brilliantly on Saturday, to what extent there was an OL with and an OL without his brilliant number 10. – Laurent Cipriani / AP / SIPA

Lyon supporters are at the same time very worried after consulting the schedule for the next international break. The Argentina-Brazil shock is indeed planned for November 16, five days before OL-OM. Do you see it coming, the lack of rhythm of the Lyon virtuoso, after such an endless period without a match?


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