Fonseca vows Lyon to make history in Champions League play‑off

Olympique Lyonnais travel to Istanbul on Tuesday for the Champions League play‑off first leg, a tie that will decide whether the French side can continue their European campaign after dispatching Sparta Prague in the third qualifying round with aggregate wins of 1‑2 and 3‑0.

Lyon's path to the play‑offs

After eliminating Sparta Prague in the third qualifying round of the Champions League, Olympique Lyonnais secured progression with a 1‑2 away win followed by a 3‑0 home victory. The tie was the third preliminary round of the competition.

Those results handed the Gones a place in the play‑off round, where they now face Turkish side Fenerbahçe. Les Gones travel to Istanbul for the first leg on Tuesday.

Fonseca's blueprint for Istanbul

On the eve of the first leg, the Portuguese coach Paulo Fonseca outlined his team's approach, insisting his players would not simply defend but would play their own game. The match is scheduled for Tuesday on the Turkish club's pitch.

He told reporters, “Nous n’arrivons pas ici pour défendre tout le temps, nous voulons jouer notre jeu… Nous devons avoir du courage,” emphasizing the need for bravery. He stressed that courage would be essential to overcome the opposition.

Fonseca added, “On a envie de faire l’histoire,” and affirmed that the squad was ready, motivated and eager to make history. He reiterated that the team was eager to write a new chapter in the club's European story.

Confiant après une semaine supplémentaire de travail, l’ancien coach de Lille estime son groupe en progrès. He noted that the additional week of preparation had allowed the squad to improve its cohesion.

The return fixture is slated for 26 August at Lyon's Groupama Stadium. The date for the second leg has been confirmed as 26 August.

Before that, Lyon will open their domestic season against Toulouse FC the following Saturday. The Ligue 1 opener will be against Toulouse FC on Saturday.