Looking to sneak into the European spots on the final day of the campaign, Lyon host Angers at Groupama Stadium for an all-important Ligue 1 clash on Saturday night.
The hosts suffered a damaging defeat at the base of Monaco last time out, whereas Le SCO secured a survival-clinching win over Strasbourg on home soil.
Match preview
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After a sixth-placed finish in Ligue 1 during the 2023-24 campaign – a placement which ultimately allowed them to progress into the quarter-final of the Europa League this term before losing to Manchester United – French giants Lyon are in danger of missing out on the continental scene in 2025-26.
Les Gones have lost back-to-back top-flight contests for the first time since the middle of August as the campaign reaches its business end, with Saturday night’s hosts suffering a 2-0 defeat at the home of Monaco last weekend, when second-half strikes from Takumi Minamino and Denis Zakaria decided the match.
Losing three of their most recent quartet of top-flight battles, Lyon have dropped down to seventh spot in the Ligue 1 standings ahead of this weekend’s hosting of Angers, three points behind Nice, Lille and Strasbourg in fourth, fifth and sixth respectively, meaning that Champions League qualification is still a possibility.
Despite needing to rely on other results in order to achieve their goals on Saturday, Paulo Fonseca‘s troops will be focused purely on holding their side of the deal and collecting maximum points at Groupama Stadium, where they have netted a stunning 35 goals across 16 Ligue 1 matches this term.
Two players certainly deserving of the European spotlight next season, Alexandre Lacazette and Georges Mikautadze are the troublesome duo at the tip of the Lyon attack, with the Frenchman and the Georgian scoring a combined 24 top-flight goals this season for the Champions League chasers.
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Following a second-placed finish in Ligue 2 and subsequent promotion to this level last May, Angers have successfully preserved their top-tier status for another 12 months, with a little run of good form over the past few weeks ensuring that Stade Raymond Kopa will be a Ligue 1 venue in 2025-26.
Le SCO have enjoyed consecutive victories for the first time in the league since January, securing success over Nantes and most recently Strasbourg, who were unable to respond sufficiently to a brilliant brace from Angers marksman Esteban Lepaul last Saturday afternoon.
Collecting maximum points from their May schedule to date, Alexandre Dujeux‘s men have propelled themselves up to a comfortable 13th spot in the Ligue 1 rankings ahead of this weekend’s trip to Groupama Stadium, five points above Le Havre in the relegation-playoff position.
Not unusual for a newly-promoted outfit, Le SCO have struggled to impose themselves as a serious attacking threat on the road this season, with Saturday’s visitors netting just 14 times across 16 Ligue 1 outings – only bottom side Montpellier HSC (6) have managed fewer strikes during away matches.
Angers have lost each of their last four meetings with Lyon by an aggregate scoreline of 14-3, with Le SCO’s most recent success over this weekend’s opponents coming back in August 2021, when Sofiane Boufal was amongst the goalscorers in a 3-0 victory for Gerald Baticle‘s boys.
Team News
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Lyon remain without the services of French midfielder Corentin Tolisso, who has been sidelined with an injury since the defeat at Lens earlier in the month.
Les Gones are also unable to call upon the talents of Premier League-linked Ernest Nuamah, with the Ghanaian suffering a serious knee injury in April.
There are plenty of occupied beds in the Angers medical room ahead of Saturday’s season finale, with the likes of Sidiki Cherif (thigh) and Zinedine Ferhat (thigh) unavailable.
Le SCO are also without central midfielder Yassin Belkhdim, who picked up a suspension-inducing yellow card during the win at Nantes on May 4.
The visitors’ options at the back are reduced by the absence of Abdoulaye Bamba, with the 35-year-old suffering a calf strain at the end of April.
Lyon possible starting lineup:
Perri; Maitland-Niles, Caleta-Car, Niakhate, Tagliafico; Tessmann, Cherki, Veretout; Almada, Mikautadze, Lacazette
Angers possible starting lineup:
Fofana; Arcus, Camara, Lefort, Hanin; Rao-Lisoa, Khaled, Courcoul, Allevinah, Abdelli; Lepaul
We say: Lyon 2-0 Angers
Requiring a positive result to keep their European hopes alive, Lyon should be raring to go at Groupama Stadium on the final day of the Ligue 1 season.
Angers are on the beach after securing safety earlier this month, and a relaxed approached from the visitors should allow Les Gones to snatch maximum points.
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