It's all about "balance" as Lyon face Angers, says Sage

With three competitions to worry about, Ligue 1, the Europa League and now the French Cup, Olympique Lyon manager Pierre Sage highlighted the importance of managing his players' energies amid a packed schedule coming up for his side.

"We've got to find the right balance. While we may train less than some of our opponents, we still train with a lot of intensity. Sometimes less is more," explained Sage. The French boss has been adamant about limiting fatigue as he gave his players a day off following Lyon's 4-1 victory over Qarabag in the Europa League last month. 

With the same approach in mind, Sage is expected to make numerous changes to the starting lineup as 'Les Gones' travel to Angers this evening, despite only counting the absences of two players from his entire squad - Said Benrahma and Sael Kumbedi. Ahead of the match, the 45-year-old head coach explained that his strategy involves "limiting risks for the players while also maintaining intensity".

Lyon's 29-player roster allows for a wide choice of rotation, though that could change after the January transfer window as players will reportedly be sold to clear the club's debts and salvage their position in Ligue 1. The DNCG - the organisation responsible for monitoring the accounts of professional football clubs in France - announced last month their decision to provisionally relegate Lyon to Ligue 2 due to their unstable financial situation.

 

December 7, 2024