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
