OL will not return to the Champions League. Beaten 2-1 by Fenerbahçe at the Groupama Stadium, Lyon is stopped in the playoffs after the draw obtained in the first leg in Turkey (1-1). An elimination that comes at a heavy cost, both sportingly and financially.
Lyon nevertheless had a favourable situation before this second leg. A draw in Istanbul and home advantage: they now had to finish the job in front of their own fans.
A nightmarish scenario in the first half
But everything became complicated from the very first minutes. Fenerbahçe struck twice within moments, through Muriqi and then Archie Brown, putting OL in front of a mountain to climb: score three times to overturn the qualification.
Lyon's response, insufficient
Lyon reacted after the break. More aggressive, they pushed Fenerbahçe back and Malick Fofana revived the suspense by narrowing the gap. OL then thought they had equalised, but Openda's goal was disallowed for offside.
The final minutes were suffocating. Lyon pushed forward, creating numerous chances, but Fenerbahçe held on until the end. Final score: 1-2. Fenerbahçe wins 3-2 on aggregate and eliminates Lyon.
A considerable financial shortfall
This elimination also represents a significant financial shortfall. Participation in the Champions League league phase would have guaranteed Lyon a participation bonus of 18.62 million euros, not counting the additional revenue linked to results and ranking.
OL will therefore have to settle for the Europa League. A competition that still offers a fine European stage, but one that will not make up for this missed opportunity at home.
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