needs Olympico rivalry

[xiaolan]

Two months ago Memphis Depay crashed his last-minute shot past Alphonse Areola to give Lyon a 2-1 win against Paris Saint-Germain and cut the gap at the top of Ligue 1 to eight points. Lyon looked like genuine outsiders for the title and Bruno Génésio seemed to have finally figured out his team. But as Sunday night’s Olympico at the Stade Vélodrome approached, the mood around Lyon had severely darkened.

In the six Ligue 1 games following the win over PSG, Lyon collected just three points and no wins. Monaco and Marseille forged clear in the mad dash for Champions League places and Génésio’s side again capitulated in the Europa League this week, a 3-2 home defeat by CSKA Moscow only surpassed in disappointment by their inept semi-final display in Amsterdam in the same competition http://www.authenticwhitesoxstore.com/authentic-24-joe-crede-jersey... last season. Rumours of unrest were underlined by full-back Marçal’s exile from the squad after an outburst against Génésio’s management and the fact that Lyon president, Jean-Michel Aulas, had to deny he refused the coach’s resignation. Losing to a direct rival in Marseille would have ended Lyon’s top three hopes and likely sealed Génésio’s fate.

Lyon were without talismanic captain Nabil Fékir and looked in big trouble when they fell behind to a goal from Marseille centre-back Rolando. It Authentic Stefon Diggs Jersey seemed as if Génésio had finally exhausted his many lives, having dangerously skirted the precipice several times before miraculously rescuing himself and his team. However, a curious Adil Rami own goal and a sumptuous curling effort from Houssem http://www.miamidolphins.us.com/WOMENS-CAMERON-WAKE-JERSEY.html Aouar on either side of half time gave Génésio hope once more. Lyon had the lead and had found their rhythm: they were confident in possession and streetwise in their game management; they were nullifying Marseille; and their direct, pacy forwards were finding space.

These two clubs have a keenly felt rivalry and the Marcus Mariota Jersey atmosphere was intense throughout the game. At times that intensity has gone too far – when Mathieu Valbuena returned to the Vélodrome as a Lyon player in 2015 he was greeted by an unsavoury effigy and could not take corners because of debris flung at him from the stands – but, unacceptable violence aside, the reignited Olympico rivalry is welcome among Ligue 1’s newly established http://www.lionsnflofficialprostore.com/YOUTH+KENNY+GOLLADAY+JERSEY big four. PSG’s dominance and Monaco’s weak home support can occasionally detract from other intense encounters.

With seven minutes to play, Lyon were 2-1 up and looked relatively comfortable – until Kostas Mitroglou scored with a looping header to draw Marseille level. Génésio’s luck was yet to run out, however. With 90 minutes on the clock, Memphis Depay popped up and scored a looping header of his own to give Lyon all three points. Earlier in the week Depay had been asked what he was missing to become the best player in the world. “In terms of my quality, nothing,” he responded. He lacks no confidence and clearly has what it takes in key games. This was his tenth league goal of the campaign.

Tensions descended into outright aggression at full-time as Lyon defender Marcelo gloatingly displayed his shirt to the Marseille fans as he left the pitch, having clashed with Adil Rami just before the final whistle, instigating a brawl in the mouth of the tunnel. Rami’s insistence on again confronting Marcelo between the pitch and the dressing rooms was seemingly caused by what Thauvin described as “Lyon players goad[ing] us, it was not professional on their part. They lacked respect – it is crazy. They will pay for this. They’ll pay for this. The most important thing is the ranking at the end of the season.”

Marseille are now only two points clear of Lyon in what is a straight fight for third place. While Rudi García deserves credit for moulding his unwieldy Marseille team into an effective attacking outfit and storming into the Europa League quarter-finals, they have also proven weak in games against their Alexander Mogilny Authentic Jersey top-four rivals this season, taking just two points from six games. The momentum in the race for third may have shifted, with Marseille having European football to contend with and appearing increasingly Jason Hammel Youth jersey tired. Garcia admitted his Marseille team “defended badly” and goalkeeper Steve Mandanda added that they “blew themselves up”. cheap jerseys free shipping wholesale jerseys cheap nfl jerseys cheap jerseys from china cheap nfl jerseys cheap jerseys china cheap nfl jerseys