Noah Nartey omission adds to Lyon’s Prague frustration

Olympique Lyonnais’ defeat at Sparta Prague has revived debate over Paulo Fonseca’s choices, and Noah Nartey’s absence became one of the clearest talking points from the match.

Lyon were punished after leading at halftime, and the loss left them with a difficult task before the return leg at Groupama Stadium.

The criticism has mainly focused on the team selection and the lack of usable options on the bench. On RMC, David Gluzman questioned why Nartey did not play in such a poor performance, arguing that the lineup and tactical setup were hard to justify. He also said Lyon were caught exactly where everyone expected and failed to adjust during the match.

Nartey’s situation is especially intriguing because he is still a young player with a developing profile. He signed his first professional contract with Brondby IF in early 2024 after rising through the club’s academy, then made his senior debut on 25 February 2024 in a 3-0 win over OB, coming off the bench for Daniel Wass in the 85th minute. That background adds to the surprise that he was left out entirely in a game Lyon badly needed to control.

Lyon still have the second leg on 11 August to repair the damage.