2023-11-05 10:00:06
Italian coach Fabio Grosso, during a training session with Olympique Lyonnais players in Décines-Charpieu, November 3, 2023. OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE / AFP
When a club has not yet won in nine Ligue 1 matches, hosting Metz is, a priori, simpler than a trip to the Stade-Vélodrome. A week after the postponement of the match against Olympique de Marseille (OM), in the wake of the stone crushing of its team bus and the injury of its coach, Fabio Grosso, Olympique Lyonnais (OL) hopes to forget its unhappy against the Lorraines. Sunday, November 5, the club, which looks like a bruised beast – literally and figuratively – will do everything to obtain its first victory of the season during this 11th day of the French championship.
For around ten years, OL has experienced a long and progressive sporting decline, under the reign of its omnipotent president, Jean-Michel Aulas – dismissed at the end of last season for disagreements with the new American owner, John Textor. Recently, we have the feeling that we are witnessing an acceleration of its fall.
After a catastrophic start to the season – three defeats and a draw in four matches – and criticism of his lack of involvement, coach Laurent Blanc was sacked. Recruited a few days later, after the refusal of several more renowned technicians, Fabio Grosso – 2006 world champion with Italy and OL player in the 2000s – has, for the moment, not succeeded in rectifying the situation. bar, and displays the same sad record as its predecessor. The third point collected so far by a moribund team was when they received Le Havre on September 17. That day, an interim coach from the training center, Jean-François Vulliez, was on the bench.
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The challenge proposed to Fabio Grosso, whose main feat of arms is to have allowed the modest formation of Frosinone to access Serie A (the first Italian division) last season, seems dizzying as OL resembles a machine to thwart and depress its players. Returning to training on Friday, despite the 30 days of incapacity for work which were granted to him after his injury in Marseille, he will be faithful to the post on Sunday. “I was a little weak physically, but inside myself, I am a volcano all the time. I want to do good sporting things with this club,” did he declare.
A locker room known to be difficult
According to the Rhone goalkeeper, Anthony Lopes, the violence of October 29 “tightened the bonds”. “I saw people who were very marked, but very united behind the coach. I felt the group united”, he explained at a press conference. Coué method or real trigger? The Lyonnais will have ninety minutes to answer the question.
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