“We got hit by a train. » Losc president Olivier Létang summed up Monday evening with this punchline the feeling of several Ligue 1 leaders, stunned by an OL king of comebacks in 2024. To say that we have long thought this Lyon team, as harmless as possible during the first act, incapable of putting an end to Lille’s series of 12 matches at home without defeat. But even trailing 2-0 at the break, or 3-2 in the 87th minute, Pierre Sage’s players always believed in this seventh place in the league, potentially qualifying for the Europa Conference League. To the point of winning 3-4 after a Dantesque finish.
“When we came back from half-time, we felt that we could do something,” explained Alexandre Lacazette on Prime Video. We score this first goal which is good for the mind. » From this flash of hope from Saïd Benrahma (2-1, 66th), we thought back to all these stunning successes over the past three months, in Montpellier (from 1-0 to 1-2), in Metz (from 1- 0 to 1-2), in Toulouse (from 2-1 to 2-3), in Nantes (from 1-0 to 1-3), and then especially against Brest (from 1-3 to 4-3) and Monaco (from 0-1 to 3-2). “If there is one thing that makes us most proud, it is that our OL never gives up,” savored Monday on his account Laurent Prud’homme, the general director of the club.
“When there is even a trickle of oxygen left…”
Do not count on Pierre Sage to find a rational explanation for this series of insane scenarios in Ligue 1, which make the former dunce of the championship (still 20th at the start of December) the most spectacular French team in 2024. “He doesn’t there is no recipe, assures the Lyon coach. The only thing we said to each other at halftime was that when there is even a trickle of oxygen left, there is still life. And when there is life, there is hope. You might as well give it your all. » Especially when you hide Mama Baldé on your bench. It’s no longer even a joke, as the former Trojan, long cataclysmic (no goals or assists in his first 13 games of the season), symbolizes the immense impact of the Lyon bench in this golden period.
The Rhone “supersubs” are now at nine goals scored in the league in 2024. And this Losc-OL allows us to understand to what extent each change had a role in the apparently irrational unfolding of this shock of the 32nd day of the League 1.
- Coming on at the break in place of Tagliafico, Ainsley Maitland-Niles once again showed all his versatility. A clever call from a winger followed by a subtle backheel on Saïd Benrahma’s first goal (2-1, 66th). Then a wonderful cake for Lacazette to equalize at 3-3 (88th).
- Decisive scorer against AS Monaco (3-2) eight days earlier, Malick Fofana allowed OL to equalize (2-2, 82nd), before coming close to scoring a double, all in less than half an hour of play. The promising Belgian is a revelation of the year 2024.
- Rayan Cherki certainly did not score or offer an assist on Monday, but his return was decisive. Despite limited playing time with Pierre Sage, he is currently experiencing one of the best periods in his complex history with his training club.
- Mama Baldé was therefore the hero of the evening. Coming into play in the 79th minute (2-1), he changed everything. Seeing him escape Alexsandro’s tackle with incredible ease, then offering a caviar to Malick Fofana (82nd), was astonishing. And what about this perfect timing to get ahead of Lenny Yoro and cut Clinton Mata’s cross in full added time (3-4, 90th+2). Less than six months ago, during a pathetic first leg match against Losc at Parc OL (0-2), the north turn launched this song: “Knight, if you’re nice, let Mama Baldé score”. He’s not at all the same player today (2 goals and 3 assists in the last 7 appearances).
- If he (still) appeared as the most “neutral” joker, Orel Mangala still brings activity to a Lyon environment sometimes lacking in canes, between the aging Matic and Tolisso.
“The replacements put their moods aside”
This XXL performance from Lyon’s second players was well worth a laudatory release about them from OL’s ultimate captain Alexandre Lacazette on Prime Video.
“ The substitutes once again did a lot of good. It’s complicated for them to work a whole week to only play 20, 10 or 5 minutes. But they put their moods aside, which is powerful. They help the team because they know it is for the good of everyone. Kudos to them for having this mentality. »
A determining mentality since we see that out of these seven Lyon comebacks in 2024, the “supersubs” have scored seven times. “What’s interesting is that we score a lot of goals from placed attacks, in lots of different ways, and with different players,” Pierre Sage also emphasizes. It’s the football that we love, which pushes people to watch TV. »
And this is also what encourages us to decree OL in the discussion of the European team offering its supporters the biggest fans of recent months, with the unplayable Bayer Leverkusen, but also the refreshing Stade Brestois. And this while presenting the second worst defense in Ligue 1 (54 goals conceded in 32 days!), and a goal average of -8. Tremble, Luis Enrique…