Olympique Lyonnais secured a hard-fought qualification for the round of 16 of the Europa League on Thursday evening at their home ground, Gerland. Remi Garde’s team narrowly defeated the Ukrainian side Chernomorets Odessa 1-0, relying on the talent of Alexandre Lacazette, who scored late in the match to secure Lyon’s advancement to the next round. Despite the tough challenge, Lyon will continue their journey in the competition and strive to defend the French colors.
“We anticipated a match like this,” remarked Samuel Umtiti in comments reported by L’Equipe. “We thoroughly analyzed our opponent through video. We knew they were strong in duels and capable of posing a threat with long balls.”
“It wasn’t the Lyon we’ve seen in recent weeks, but the most important thing is to qualify for the round of 16. We’ve passed this hurdle and are progressing steadily. Our objective is to go as far as possible,” added Umtiti, who has drawn interest from AC Milan.
In the round of 16, Lyon will face the Czech side Plzen, who emerged victorious against Shakhtar Donetsk.
