Senegalese defender Moussa Niakhaté reflects on Lyon’s 2-0 Europa League defeat to Real Betis

Olympique Lyonnais suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Real Betis in Seville, marking their first loss of the Europa League campaign.

Lyon captain Moussa Niakhaté addressed the media after the match, highlighting mistakes on set pieces and the difference in experience as decisive factors.

Niakhaté acknowledged the challenge of facing a seasoned Betis side. “We knew we had a revamped team.

Every player here has the qualities to perform, so that isn’t an excuse. We trust each other.

We knew the gap wouldn’t be huge, but experience made the difference today. Betis has players who have played at top clubs,” he said.

The Senegalese defender expressed frustration at the two goals Lyon conceded from set pieces. “On paper, many would have expected Betis to dominate given the quality of their squad.

If we were going to concede, it was going to be against a team showing clear superiority. But we gave away goals unnecessarily from set pieces.

That’s the frustrating part. We need to learn from these situations,” Niakhaté added.

Starting for the 15th time this season, Niakhaté showed no signs of fatigue and emphasized his commitment to the team.

“I’m very happy. It means I’m healthy, and I hope it continues. I’ll always give everything for this team.

I really enjoy playing with this group; they have a lot of quality. We have young players who want to improve, and it’s part of our role to guide them,” he said.

Niakhaté also reflected on mentoring younger teammates during challenging matches. “When I play alongside many young players, like tonight, it’s a pleasure to support them.

We were determined to win to reward their effort. I remain proud of their performance; they will learn. Real Betis is a very strong team, but our players gave their all,” he explained.

The Lyon captain emphasized the need to extract lessons from this defeat.

The team will now focus on improving defensive organisation and set-piece execution as they continue their Europa League campaign.

Despite the setback, Niakhaté maintains confidence in Lyon’s squad and their ability to respond in upcoming matches.

Lyon’s experience in Europe will be tested further, but Niakhaté’s leadership and commitment provide a guiding presence for both young and seasoned players alike.