Anthony Lopes (Photo by CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU / AFP)
Next Sunday, Anthony Lopes will face OL for the first time in his career. The goalkeeper, who joined FC Nantes this winter, looked back on his last six months spent in Lyon.
In just under a week, a very special match awaits Anthony Lopes. Free departure this winter towards the FC Nantesthe Portuguese goalkeeper bid farewell to theOL after 25 years at the club. And this January 26 will be the opportunity for him to face, for the first time in his career, the Rhone club since the Nantes welcome the Lyonnais as part of the 19th day of Ligue 1.
A few days before this meeting, Anthony Lopes spoke about the last six months spent atOL. A period that he describes as the worst of his sporting life: “It was very hard personally because I had no competition. When the match list came out, I didn't even stay. I trained and went home. It's clearly the hardest sporting period of my sporting life”declared the Nantes doorman in an interview with Canal Football Club.
“Liverpool is difficult to refuse”
Anthony Lopes was still requested this summer. The goalkeeper had turned down offers in June, but it's more than likely he wouldn't have turned them down in August. “I had offers from clubs that play the first positions in the Champions League as number 2, but too early. Like Liverpool. Honestly, it was not the priority for me to leave to be number 2 even if it is clear, Liverpool, it is complicated to refuse. But I didn't imagine myself in this position, at least not until June. But you made me the offer at the end of August, I think I'll change my mind”admitted the former Lyonnais.
-Still during this interview, the Portuguese confirmed, once again, “no one from management” came to speak to him last summer about his future atOL. Enough to push him to leave publicly in the columns of The Team. “I knew I was going to put myself in danger. I wanted to create an electric shock within the management.” However, the 34-year-old goalkeeper admits to having moved on: “Today, I moved on to something else. Even if it was hard because it was my favorite club. Because I spent 25 years at Olympique Lyonnais.”.
On Sunday, there will be a little something when meeting his former teammates again. But sentimentalism will only take over once the final whistle has sounded.
