This Saturday, OL faces Feignies Aulnoye in Valenciennes in the 32nd final of the Coupe de France. If this match remains important in the Lyon season, all eyes are already on January 1, 2025 and the opening of the transfer window.
“We don’t go there in flip-flops, it’s not the time anyway”. Thursday, Pierre Sage joked, but was very clear about Lyon's intentions when planning for the 32nd final of the Coupe de France. Against the Entente Feignies Aulnoye, the trap of a match taken over the leg is great, but OL had managed their meetings rather well against Pontarlier et Bergerac last season. Not taking a fourth or fifth division team lightly is in the DNA of the Lyon coach, who has been through these stages and who knows how much a Ligue 1 is eagerly awaited. However, “There is no excuse for us not to pass this round” for Peter Sagehighlighting the stadium in which this 32nd is being played and the conditions that go with it in Hainaut.
On paper, nothing suggests that things will turn out against OL. But the magic of the Cup remains very present, even more so with this change of calendar which places the entry into the running of Ligue 1 clubs just before the Christmas holidays. If at Feignies Aulnoyewe hope that Santa Claus will come a few days early, in Décines, we hope not to see Father Fouettard arrive and make the headlines in the national press on Sunday. “We will have to win these two matches (against Feignies-Aulnoye in the Cup then against Montpellier on January 4 in Ligue 1), and it does not matter the order in which they arrive.”
The Cup, not a showcase for potential starters
This last outing of the year must not turn into the bad comedy of Noël and Pierre Sage is counting on the seriousness of its players to see themselves propelled into the 16th on Saturday at 8 p.m. Then it will be time to take a few well-deserved vacation days to take some time off. Well, not for everyone. The trip to Valenciennes marks the end of the year, but also the beginning, not of problems, but of a dreaded period: that of the winter transfer window. Last season, everyone was impatiently awaiting it in order to strengthen themselves and ensure a maintenance that seemed unattainable. Today, things have changed a lot. OL are European, are doing well in this Europa League (4th and guaranteed to play in the play-offs at least), and are in the top 5 of Ligue 1.
All the lights should be green, but the DNCG sanctions have brought winter cold earlier than expected. A ban on recruitment, but also a need for liquidity which leaves us fearing the worst. That of losing important elements and losing competitiveness. A simple fear? Pierre Sage tried to reassure the Lyon environment as much as possible. “I have to be the guardian of the balance of our squad, but our management and the owner are fully aware of the need for the team to remain competitive. We need resources, and resources are the good players.” No departures from Malick Breathing or Rayan Cherki SO ? Only February 1, 2025 will serve as justice of the peace and the coach is aware of this with a transfer window “who panics at the end.”
Sage: “No obligation for turnover”
Between the economic and sporting aspect, OL will have to make a choice or at least find the right balance. Not easy, especially since like last summer, everyone is ultimately on the market, whether we like it or not. This strategy did not necessarily work well a few months ago and it partly cost David his place friio. Repeated this winter? The summer undesirables are still there like Lopes or Orban and were joined by elements like Maxence He would lie down ou Wilfried Zaha. So many players that OL would like to part ways with to bring back “too rich a workforce has more limited solutions.” With a Coupe de France match against a National 2 team, the temptation would therefore be to use it as a showcase. This will not be the case or at least in a limited way.
Orban and Zaha have still not found favor, Nuamahwhich will not be accepted in the event of a good offer, has been left to rest. Some candidates for departure will be there this Saturday, but Sage has set the scene. The sporting issue will take over the transfer window. At least at kickoff. “It is absolutely necessary that the players who play this match are mobilized on the project for the second part of the season. A player who is in discussion of departure will not necessarily have the same playing time as a player who will be there after .” The coach assures that there is “no obligation for large turnover” in Valenciennes. Can we take his word for it? In any case, the transfer window only begins in ten days, but it is already very present in OL's daily life.
