Lisandro honoured by Ligue 1 peers
Sunday, May 9, 2010
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Olympique Lyonnais striker Lisandro has capped an impressive first season with the UEFA Champions League semi-finalists by being voted Ligue 1 Player of the Year.
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Olympique Lyonnais striker Lisandro has been voted Ligue 1 Player of the Year by the French Professional Footballers' Union (UNFP).
The 27-year-old only joined Lyon last summer from FC Porto for €24m and was tasked with filling the void left by the sale of Karim Benzema to Real Madrid CF. Lisandro helped Lyon reach the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, where they lost 4-0 on aggregate to FC Bayern München, and has scored 14 goals in 31 top-flight games this season.
"I want to thank all the people who made this prize possible for me – team-mates and all the people who supported me in Lyon," said the Argentina striker, who overcame the other shortlisted contenders – Mamadou Niang, Marouane Chamakh and Eden Hazard – to receive the award.
Niang took the honour for goal of the season for his solo effort against Montpellier Hérault SC while Hazard picked up the Young Player of the Year award for the second season in a row. AJ Auxerre's Jean Fernandez was selected as best coach with Eugénie Le Sommer of COBSP Saint-Brieuc voted best female player.