Lyon need 'crazy game' to deny Zenit
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Article summary
The only team still with a perfect record, Zenit know a fourth Group H win at Lyon would take them through – and Hubert Fournier says the home side "will need to play a crazy game".
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Article body
- Hubert Fournier says Lyon need a "crazy game" to beat Group H leaders Zenit
- Zenit have sole 100% record; with one point, Lyon are five off second place
- Should Zenit win they are through; a draw will suffice if Gent fail to beat Valencia
- Russian side unbeaten in 12 matches in all competitions
- Hulk fit to start for Zenit but Ezequiel Garay is ruled out
Possible lineup
Lyon: Lopes; Jallet, Umtiti, Yanga-Mbiwa, Bedimo; Gonalons, Darder, Tolisso; Valbuena, Lacazette, Beauvue.
Out: Fekir (knee), Grenier (fitness), Kalulu (ankle), Biševac (fitness), Fofana (ankle)
Zenit: Kerzhakov; Anyukov, Neto, Lombaerts, Criscito; Javi García, Witsel, Shatov, Danny; Hulk, Dzyuba.
Out: Fayzulin (knee), Garay (muscle)
Hubert Fournier, Lyon coach
We need to be positive and play with a degree of organised craziness. We want to show that we are worth more than what we have shown so far. We hope we can win against this team.
Going through will be difficult – we will need to play a crazy game against Zenit, a side with world-class players. It is a good match to prepare for. We are under pressure, we have no more chances, so it's an exciting challenge.
André Villas-Boas, Zenit coach
We are in a good position but we want to qualify as soon as possible – a point and we are almost there. Lyon have nothing to lose and they are on a good run in Ligue 1 after two wins; for us it is a little different. But we are very focused on the Champions League.
Lyon have done well over the past few years. There have been ups and downs, but they have a great structure, great culture, great foundations. It would be good to see Paris Saint-Germain and other French teams progress further in Europe.
Weekend results
Troyes 0-1 Lyon (Beauvue 78pen)
Lyon recorded victory over a Troyes side down to ten men for over 50 minutes. The result ended a run of five away games without a win for the second-placed visitors and kept them ten points behind Ligue 1 leaders Paris.
Zenit 0-0 Mordovia
Zenit lost more ground on Premier-Liga frontrunners CSKA Moskva as they failed to find a way past second-from-bottom Mordovia – leaving Villas-Boas's fourth-placed team ten points off the summit.
Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)
Lyon: WWLDWL
Zenit: DWWWDW
Did you know?
Last season Zenit's UEFA Champions League hopes vanished away to Ligue 1 opposition when they slumped 2-0 Monaco in their final group fixture. Find out more in our extensive match background.