Europa League Preview: Lyon and Nice hit the road
Other Competitions
Glasgow Rangers vs Olympique Lyonnais: Les Gones aiming for two in two
Pierre Sage's men travel to Scotland on Thursday evening to face Glasgow Rangers, buoyed by their opening Europa League win last week against Olympiacos (2-0) and following their last-minute win in Ligue 1 against Toulouse (2-1). The Scottish side, managed by former AS Monaco manager Phillipe Clement, just beat Malmö in Sweden in their opening European match last weekend after being eliminated in the Champions League preliminary round by Dynamo Kiev.
Rangers will also be hoping to make it two wins in two, having only lost one of their last 17 European home matches. That previous defeat for the Gers was against - none other than Olympique Lyonnais in the 2021 group stage (0-2). Les Gones will be feeling confident, after having won six and drawn one of their last seven away matches in European competition.
"I don't think we're favourites," said Lyon midfielder Corentin Tolisso in his pre-match press conference. "I think it's a 50/50 game, especially as Rangers will be the home team. We've had a tough start to the season, not everything's perfect but we're getting better every game.”
"This competition reminds us of what this sport is all about and why we loved it in the first place. Playing matches like this in magnificent stadiums," Pierre Sage said warmly in his press conference. "We have to be able to diversify our game a bit and have different alternatives and respond effectively to our opponents. We were able to play foreign clubs in preparation, so we've already come up against other types of football.”
Potential Lyon XI vs Rangers: Perri; Maitland-Niles, Mata, Caleta-Car, Tagliafico; Tolisso, Matic; Nuamah, Cherki, Fofana; Lacazette.
Lazio vs OGC Nice: Les Aiglons land in Rome for tough test
OGC Nice haven't had the best record against Italian teams in European competition in recent years, but Franck Haise's side travel to Rome hoping to build on their opening day draw against Real Sociedad (1-1). Les Aiglons have lost both of their previous meetings with Lazio home and away in the 2017-2018 season.
Haise and Nice go into the game after getting a point at a goalless homecoming trip to Lens last weekend, as the Côte d'Azur side hope to get back to winning ways after drawing their last two matches following their 8-0 thumping of Saint-Étienne. Meanwhile, Lazio occupy eighth spot in Serie A with 10 points from their opening six games. Former Ligue 1 men Mattéo Guendouzi and Boulaye Dia scored in their latest win over Torino.
"Lazio play a complete style of football, aggressive at the right moment, with powerful, experienced and technically gifted players," warned Nice manager Franck Haise before the match. "There are quite a few dangerous players in this team. Boulaye Dia is very interesting, whatever position he plays in, but there are others who have impressed me in the matches I've watched. But if I had to pick one, it would be Dia, who I know well."
Potential Nice XI vs Lazio: Bulka; Ndayishimiye, Bombito, Dante; Clauss, Rosario, Louchet, Abdi; Boga, Moukoko, Guessand
READ MORE:
