Thursday, May 11, 2017

Olympique Lyon vs Ajax Amsterdam
Competition: UEFA Europa League
Date: 11 May 2017
Kick-off Time: 20:05 GMT
Venue: Parc Olympique Lyonnais


Because the second leg will be played in Lyon, it was a reason for high hopes in Olympique Lyon ranks, however, they played so badly in the first game in Amsterdam that the second one is almost a formality. For sure, it is not impossible annul three-goal advantage especially as they scored away but Olympique Lyon still needs a victory of 3-0 or higher, which will not be an easy thing to do against Ajax Amsterdam team. Even if the opponent, Ajax, is a weaker it would be very hard to achieve something like that. The first leg showed that Ajax Amsterdam team is in great shape, and capable to win even in Lyon.
Followers will agree that cause for heavy defeat in the first leg was fact that the coach, Genesio, had left on the bench the team’s first scorer, Lacazette, who was not fully recovered, but it could be seen last weekend when Olympique Lyon faced Nantes in the French Ligue 1, that he is not in particularly good shape. Player, Cornet, scored two out of Lyon’s three goals, who is Lacazette’s replacement, and Valbuena came off the bench. There were many other changes, while now some other players are questionable because of injuries. However, all of them will probably be in the team as they secured a place in the UEFA Europa League next season through the French championship and this is the last important match of the season, unless a miracle happens and they reach the final.
Ajax Amsterdam team is on verge to reach the final of the UEFA Europa League and suddenly is in the race for the title in the Dutch championship, although they don’t decide alone about their fate. It can turn out in the end that 2016/2017 is a super successful season for the team if they win both titles, however, it will not be that easy to win either of them. Ajax Amsterdam had already dropped from the race to the title but last weekend they outclassed at home Go Ahead Eagles by 4-0 despite playing with reserve team, and leading Feyenoord team lost away to Excelsior, so Ajax Amsterdam backlog now is just one point.
However, just one round is left and Feyenoord team plays at home where it must lose or draw, while Ajax team must win Willem II in order to dethrone Feyenoord. It is not impossible but it is not probably either, just like it is not impossible to drop such huge advantage against Olympique Lyon. 1/4 final match against Schalke team 04 should be a warning as they nearly dropped advantage of 2-0 from the first leg. They know better now and have three goals more. On top of it, the team is complete compared to the first match as players Veltman and Viergever are back in the line-up

Probable lineups: 
Olympique Lyon: Lopes – Jallet, Mammana, Diakhaby, Morel – Tousard, Gonalons – Cornet, Tolisso, Valbuena – Lacazette (Fekir)
Ajax Amsterdam:  Onana – Veltman, Sanchez, Viergever, Riedewald – Schone, Klaassen, Ziyech – B. Traore, Dolberg, Younes

Olympique Lyon last 5 matches results:
20/04/17 Besiktas 2 – 1 P Lyon
23/04/17 Lyon 1 – 2 Monaco
28/04/17 Angers SCO 1 – 2 Lyon
03/05/17 Ajax 4 – 1 Lyon
07/05/17 Lyon – Nantes
  
Ajax Amsterdam last 5 matches results:
16/04/17 Ajax 5 – 1 Heerenveen
20/04/17 Schalke E 3 – 2 Ajax
23/04/17 PSV 1 – 0 Ajax
03/05/17 Ajax 4 – 1 Lyon
07/05/17 Ajax – Go Ahead Eagles

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