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Lyon – Ajax (Europa League)

After a heavy defeat in dutch soil, Lyon now host Ajax at Parc Olympique Lyonnais, in Lyon, in a match referent to the second leg of the Europa League semi-finals. Lyon suffered a really heavy defeat in Amsterdam, but the away goal they secured in the first leg has given them some hope ahead of Thursday, having once again to put another superb perform at home, as they are used to. Ajax, on their turn, is completely in control of this fixture and haven’t lost by a 3 goal margin, in this competition, since the defeat at the hands Spartak Moskva in 2010/11, by 3-0.

Lyon started their european campaign in the Champions League, securing the 3rd place in Group F and moving to this Europa League, where they have defeated teams like AZ Alkmaar, AS Roma and Besiktas until they reach this stage. However, Les Gones suffered a heavy defeat in the first leg, 4-1, and are with a difficult task of nullify this disadvantage and progress to the next stage, but it is not impossible. In their 3 games played at home for this competition, the french side won them all, scoring 13 goals and conceding 4 in the process.

Now, without a chance of reaching the Champions League spots in Ligue 1 table, Lyon needs to win this competition in order to get access to next season Champions League, having secured amazing results at home and needing to get one more. This is a team with a lot of defensive difficulties, since they concedes too many goals, but is also a very capable side when it comes to attack, being very efficient offensively, fast when attacking down the wings and in counterattacks, very dangerous in set pieces, and have a good finalization power, with Lacazette being their offensive reference, the Ligue 1’s second top scorer with 24 goals scored.

In their last 5 official games, Lyon recorded 2 victories and 3 defeats. This sequence of results started with a 2-1 defeat at Besiktas ground, for the Europa League. This result was followed by a 1-2 home defeat against AS Monaco, a 1-2 victory at Angers ground, a 4-1 defeat at Ajax’s home, for the Europa League, and in their last clash, a 3-2 victory at home against Nantes. Corentin Tolisso, Mouctar Diakhaby and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa all missed Lyon’s 3-2 win over Nantes and all remain doubts here. Memphis Depay is ineligible for Thursday’s match against Ajax.

Probable Lineup: Lopes – Jallet, Mammana, Diakhaby and Morel – Tousart and Gonalons – Cornet, Tolisso and Valbuena – Lacazette.

Ajax, on their turn, excelled in Group G by their amazing performance, finishing isolated in the top of the Group, and eliminated teams like Legia Warsaw, FC Copenhagen and Schalke 04. The dutch’s performed amazingly at home, took maximum advantage of the home factor, where they are stronger, and were lethal in front of the goal, perhaps they could have been even more if Nick Viergever and Veltman were available, since they were both suspended. However, now they need to know how to take as most advantage as possible of their win in the first leg and manage the tie, since it is away from home that they are, without a doubt, weaker, winning only 1 of their 6 meetings in the competition, losing 2, scoring 8 goals and conceding 9 in the process. They haven’t lost a UEFA away game by a three goal margin since going down 3-0 to Spartak Moskva in the 2010/11 round of 16 but will need to be weary of Alexandre Lacazette.

The Sons of the Gods have been showing some defensive difficulties, especially in avoiding individual erros and stopping opponents from creating chances. Offensively, they excel by their good conversion rate in shooting from direct free kicks, in set pieces, creating chances using through balls and in creating chances through individual skill. Their offensive sector is constituted by very young players, Younnes is the oldest with 23, all of them are really fast, with a lot of talent and very good technical quality, all capable of making the difference at any moment. Bertrand Traoré is very influent in the right wing, with 4 assists and 4 goals scored, in this competition, while Kasper Dolberg have already scored 5, and Younnes another 4.

In their last 5 games, Ajax recorded 3 victories and 2 defeats. This sequence of results started by a 5-1 home win against Heerenveen. This result was followed by a 3-2 defeat at Schalke 04’s ground, for the Europa League, a 1-0 defeat at PSV’s ground, a 4-1 home win over Lyon, for the Europa League, and in their last clash a 4-0 home victory over Go Ahead Eagles. Daley Sinkgraven remains a doubt for the away side and that could see Viergever or Jairo Riedewald start at left-back.

Probable Lineup: Onana – Veltman, Sánchez, Viergever and Riedewald – Klaassen, Schone and Ziyech – Traoré, Dolberg and Younes.

In all their history, Lyon has never beaten Ajax, drawing 2 of their 5 direct confronts, and losing the 3 remaining.

A strong entry in the game is expected by Lyon, who will take maximum advantage of the home factor and will try to push Ajax down to their penalty area. Although they are favorites to win this tie, Lyon shouldn’t be able to keep a clean sheet here, since they have some defensive difficulties that the strong offensive sector of Ajax should be able to take advantage.