Olympique Lyonnais have no choice but to rotate: while waiting for the possible recruitment of an attacker in the winter transfer window, OL coach Rudi Garcia must juggle the available staff to chain the matches, starting Saturday in Nantes in the 16th of the Coupe de France (20.55).
“I work with this group and not with a fictitious or potential group”, highlighted Rudi garcia Thursday. OL coach has already announced that the defensive midfielder Lucas Tousart, substitute in Bordeaux (2-1), will start against Saturday in Nantes, as part of the 16th finals of the Coupe de France. ” He is fine. It was more to make him breathe than he did not play against the Girondins. I cut the grass under the feet to those who say he did not play because he is about to leave “, he said, referring to rumors of an upcoming transfer to Hertha Berlin. “Lucas is under contract with us. The president spoke on that. So, I think we will go until the end of the season with at least this group. If it is improved, so much the better! “, added Rudi Garcia.
“Too fair” to play it all
“If we want to play all competitions thoroughly, I think we will be too fair”, however warned the technician. OL remains qualified in the Champions League – with a prospect of a confrontation against Juventus Turin (February 26-March 17) in the round of 16 – and in the two national cups. After Nantes, OL will host Lille on Tuesday in the Coupe de la Ligue with a stake in the final.
Mid-December, on the evening of a defeat against Rennes (1-0) at home, the sports director Juninho had suggested that the Olympique Lyonnais recruit one player per line. This option no longer appears on the agenda. Especially since at this period of the season, it is always difficult to find a rare bird and even more to find three… Pending the return of the rear wings Léo Dubois and Youssouf Koné, Rudi Garcia in a few weeks recovered in the defensive sector the Brazilian Fernando Marçal, often spared due to its fragility, and attempted a retraining of the attacker Maxwel Cornet, returned to the left rear position.
Jean Lucas time?
Despite this, in Bordeaux, it was as a striker that the latter scored and delivered an assist. “He gives us a lot of tactical options and it is working well for the moment,” said the Lyon coach who can count on the right flank, the Dutchman Kenny Tete and the Brazilian Rafael. In defensive or relaying circles, the young Maxence Caqueret, 19 years old and 5 professional matches, is seizing his chance. In Bordeaux, his foresight allowed his teammates, in particular Houssem Aouar, Thiago Mendes and Moussa Dembélé, to illustrate.
However, he will be suspended in Nantes on Saturday, and Garcia could take the opportunity to give confidence to the young Brazilian Jean Lucas, one of the offseason recruits, who is progressing at the age of 21. As a professional, he only played 248 minutes in 12 games … while scoring three goals. “If he starts on the bench, all I have to do is bring him in and it looks like we have a goal. It’s rather good “, joked Garcia Thursday about this excellent ratio. “I think he’s ready, like all of my players. It still needs to be structured tactically. He will have to find his best position. You have to use it on its qualities which carry it forward by its desire and its enthusiasm “, he said, without specifying if he would start alongside Tousart or if the choice would rather be on Thiago Mendes.
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