Rudi Garcia and OL launch the commando mission

More than a match. Sunday evening at 9 p.m., Olympique Lyonnais will play their season against AS Monaco. Fourth in Ligue 1 Uber Eats with 67 points, the Rhone club is slightly behind in the race for places in the Champions League and for the title. The meeting against the Monegasques (3rd, 71 points) will therefore be decisive. At OL, we understood that. This week, President Jean-Michel Aulas took the floor to declare the union sacred. Yesterday it was Juninho’s turn to lend his support to the club’s media. The two then attended training on Thursday to support the group. A group that knows its back to the wall and still believes in it. This is the message that Rudi Garcia and Anthony Lopes tried to convey this Friday during the pre-match press point.

A state of mind of warriors

The goalkeeper, still marked by failure against LOSC, was the first to speak. “The digestion was tough, very complicated. We had to put our heads straight, tell ourselves that everything is not over even though the week has been hard. So there you have it, it was difficult but we had to find our way back, to be a conqueror. We have to go on the last three matches ”. The Gones have therefore been seriously preparing all week for this meeting, as Rudi Garcia pointed out: “The week went well. As I asked the players, there was maximum concentration and maximum involvement in training. We had a good week. I hope we will have a good game on Sunday. The goal is to get back on the podium and win in Monaco ”.

He then added: “I have no doubts about the team’s state of mind. We must do everything possible. As soon as training resumed this week, I wanted to show them, as obvious, that if we won against Monaco on Sunday everything would still be possible and everything will be possible. We must not say it but do it. (…) Players need mental freshness. You have to be smart and stay the course, which is to win in Monaco. Everything is still possible for the podium. The calendar is not a guarantee of 9 points out of 9 for everyone afterwards ». A speech which is the same as that conveyed by an Anthony Lopes determined as ever.

A terrible failure in case of 4th place

“We’re not that far from the podium. We are at 4 points and we play the third Sunday which would allow us to come back to 1 point. The source of motivation is this: give your all. (…) Nothing is finished. We still have a little hope of going for this Champions League which is our main objective. We are playing a direct competitor. It will be for the one who will not let go. Eleven players, real warriors, real men to win the remaining matches. We still have hope ”. Not qualifying for the Champions League for a second year in a row would be a huge fiasco, especially since OL had only that to play with the Coupe de France.

What Anthony Lopes thinks: “It would be a total failure. But it’s not in my head at all. I only think about winning on Sunday. We know we are capable of doing extraordinary things. I have no doubts about it. We must not relax. Of course, a second year without the Champions League would be a huge failure ”. Rudi Garcia, he wants to stay positive and not think about it. “We’re fourth, we can’t do worse. We must not do calculations, let go and have the same qualities as in the match against Monaco, even when we were 10 against 11, and during the first half against LOSC “. This time, it will be necessary to be concentrated and applied 90 minutes at the risk of losing all hope. OL are aware of this.