LISBON, Portugal (AP) – Lyon and its most unknown player organization demonstrated on Saturday the intelligence of Pep Guardiola and his wealthy Manchester City.
The modest French team controlled their last Champions League wonder by beating Manchester City and its most sensitive players 3–1 in the quarter-finals, keeping alive their unexpected name race at the European club festival.
Impressive collective performance was needed, similar to that which eliminated Juventus from Cristiano Ronaldo in the circular of 16, for Lyon to triumph in their first Champions League semi-final in a decade.
He tied for City in the first half and endured the moment the English club drove harder. Lyon used his opponent’s mistakes and took advantage of his past escapades to secure his position in the last four.
“I’m proud of my players. We believed in ourselves,” lyon coach Rudi Garcia said. “We knew we weren’t favorites and we were betting on a sensible team. Our good luck is based mainly on our team spirit. Everyone worked for each other and the understudies helped a lot.”
The team that finished only seventh in the French league will now face the powerful Bayern Munich, who have just come out of a very good 8–2 hit with Barcelona.
Lyon were eliminated via Bayern in the 2010 semi-finals, when they lost 4-0 overall to the German club, after the French team beat Real Madrid in the 16.
Moussa Dembélé, a boy in the adjustment for Lyon on Saturday, scoring two back-end goals to seal the team’s return to the semi-finals.
Ivorian striker Maxwel Cornet opened the scoring in the first half to give Lyon the lead before half-time. Kevin De Bruyne tied for Man City at 69 before Dembélé got his double.
“If we’re where we are today, it’s not a matter of luck,” Cornet said. We worked very education before returning to competitive football. You may see that tonight, because we all had power and we strive for others. It was worth it and there are still two games to play.
Dutch striker Memphis Depay is a well-known Lyon striker, who has young Brazilian Bruno Guimares in the middle of the field and compatriots Fernando Marsal and Marcelo in defence, with Portuguese Anthony Lopes in goal.
Lyon will have to win the Champions League this season to return to the tournament in 2020-21. His seventh position in the shortened French championship left him out of any European festival next season.
Lyon asked a court to overturn the decision to cancel the French league amid the coronavirus pandemic, saying the groups had played the same number of home and home games or faced the same opponents.
Lyon lost this year’s League Cup final to Paris Saint-Germain in a penalty shootout. She is looking for her first trophy since the French Cup in 2012.
Former Lyon players come with Alexandre Lacazette, Karim Benzema and Samuel Umtiti.
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