25/26 Season Preview #8: Olympique Lyonnais
After a tumultuous offsesaon that saw the team avoid the threat of administrative relegation, Olympique Lyonnais are gearing up for the season with no small amount of churn -- read on for the latest in our series of Ligue 1 McDonald's team-by-team previews.
Last season:
A season on from nearly being relegated from the league after a disastrous tenure on the part of Fabio Grosso, Lyon nearly repeated the feat under his replacement, Pierre Sage. Paulo Fonseca helped steady the ship, getting the best out of the team's two dynamic young wingers -- Malick Fofana and Rayan Cherki -- but his "tete-a-tete" with a referee handcuffed the team in the league and did little to aid the team's European campaign. Following a difficult run of late-season matches, sixth place is dim consolation for a team which has never been shy of ambition.
The coach:
There's little question Fonseca is a talented manager. To say he did anything other than work miracles with Lille in his previous tenure in Ligue 1 would be an understatement. That said, to behave so rashly in a closely-fought run-in was unfortunate, and one can't help but wonder whether he might have been dismissed. No matter, as Lyon have looked to value continuity with him after what has been a season of none-too-inconsiderable churn.
Welcome to Lyon, Tyler 🔴🔵 pic.twitter.com/8SQ92p73Tw
— Olympique Lyonnais 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@OL_English) August 6, 2025
Key arrivals:
While each will have much to do to prove themselves as a regular in a major league, Tyler Morton and Pavel Sulc have been the team's two most notable outlays. The former joins a string of young English players looking to improve their fortunes by playing abroad, and should push for a place in midfield. As for Sulc, the creative player will have plenty on his plate, with Cherki and Thiago Almada both having departed.
Key departures:
Where to start? While (newly minted captain) Corentin Tolisso has been retained, the team has lost a massive tranche of key players. Alexandre Lacazette's departure was expected, but it was needs must as Lucas Perri, Duje Caleta-Car, Cherki, Almada and Jordan Veretout all followed him out of the exit door.
Likely MVP:
If Lyon are to get anything out of this season, it will come down to academy product Mikautadze. Often overshadowed by Lacazette since arriving last summer, he began to show his talent towards the back end of last season, and if Les Gones aren't forced to sell him, his being able to score 15 or more goals will likely be integral to the team having success.
Young player to watch:
Given a lack of incomings, Malick Fofana takes this honor almost by default -- despite struggling with injury last season, the young Belgian impressed when fit. While the likes of Everton have pursued him with no small amount of aggression, he may yet stay with the club, where he'll look to be a key conduit on the left flank.
💥 Malick Fofana's powerful strike to take the lead against Hamburg 🔥
pic.twitter.com/PWIDdiI9c9— Olympique Lyonnais 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@OL_English) July 26, 2025
Remember when...
Two-time Champions League semifinalists, Lyon are hardly a club lacking in history, but the majority of their success came under the ambitious ownership of Jean-Michel Aulas. With the parsimonious John Textor in charge, feats such as beating Real Madrid and Manchester City will be the exception and not the rule, but also offer a good reminder of the quality of this team's academy.
Cult hero: CORENTIN TOLISSO
Tolisso setting a record transfer for Bayern Munich may have been a surprise, but the versatile midfielder has continued to impress, despite injuries having hamstrung his time in Bavaria. Since returning from Bavaria, he's gone from strength to strength and retains an outside chance of making the French team for next summer's World Cup.
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