FCBARCELONA.CAT

18.12.2008 11:03

Olympique Lyonnais are the kings of France

Jordi Clos

FC Barcelona could face Olympique Lyonnais in the next round of the Champions League and have to work out how to stop their star players such Karim Benzema and Juninho Pernambucano.

Given the level of the other possibilities ( Arsenal , Chelsea and Inter ) the French outfit may yet prove to be the best opponents for the Blaugrana in the first elimination phase of the competition. Lyon have dominated Ligue 1 in recent seasons as they have won the last seven consecutive titles, but they are not completely in control this term like they have been in the past.

Attractive philosophy

In the last few seasons, Lyon have become a selling club as they have discovered, made famous and then sold such names as Mahamadou Diarra, Éric Abidal, Florent Malouda and Grégory Coupet. These transfer have had an effect on the team that have always attempted to play an attractive brand of football.

Top spot

This season the club’s dominance has not been as strong, unlike in recent campaigns and Claude Puel’s team has had more and more difficulties in securing and the holding on to first place. They have only managed to win ten of their opening 18 matches, just over half, and Marseille and Bordeaux are close behind with just three points separating them.

In the Champions League, Lyon have finished second in a group that contained Bayern Munich, Fiorentina and Steaua Bucharest. Defeat in their last game at home to Bayern (2-3) meant that it was the Bavarian outfit that claimed top spot. Qualification was gained in style though as the French side netted 14 goals to put them through, second only to Barça who scored 18.

Benzema the star

Lyon’s attacking star is, undoubtedly, Karim Benzema. The 21-year-old forward has nine league goals and five Champions League goals to his name and is the joint-top scorer in the competition along with Lionel Messi, Steven Gerrard and Miroslav Klose. Benzema has taken the crown of the king of Lyon from Juninho, even though the 33-year-old Brazilian continues to be the team’s playmaker and expert free-kick taker.

Other stars that Puel can count on include Hugo Lloris, KIm Kallström, Jean II Makoun, Ederson, Jérémy Toulalan, Cris, Alain Boumsong, Anthony Réveillere, Fred, Sidney Govou or Fabio Grosso.