Even if OL gave themselves a nice boost in Ligue 1 by winning on the lawn of PSG on Sunday evening (1-0), all Rhone eyes are on La Beaujoire and the Coupe de France semi-final. France. Facing FC Nantes this Wednesday evening (9:10 p.m.), Olympique Lyonnais will try to save their season as they vegetate in an anonymous ninth place in the league. How far away the time of the great Lyon of the 2000s seems, when all the teams feared to challenge Juninho, Sidney Govou, Grégory Coupet
For Jean-Michel Aulas, this 2022-2023 season will have been challenging and rich in twists and turns, culminating in the arrival of John Textor as a new major investor. The American recovers a club in good financial health but which has declined sportingly, to the point of no longer even participating in the European Cups. For the historic president of OL, in office for thirty-six years, this Coupe de France represents an opportunity to leave with his head held high, even if it will be difficult for many supporters to forgive this last decade of wandering.
After landing Peter Bosz in October, the 74-year-old manager went looking for Laurent Blanc to raise the bar. If he did not manage to get OL off in Ligue 1, the former coach of Bordeaux and PSG managed to bring his team to the last four of the Coupe de France, while this competition escapes control. OL since 2012. “Our season is not a nightmare, but it is very difficult. We made every effort possible and imaginable. We changed coaches and took on an experienced coach. But there are a number of games left, and the Coupe de France, which is a breath of fresh air for the supporters,” Aulas told RMC, summing up this grueling exercise.
The robust Lyon president, who clings to his post like Logan Roy in the Succession series, has no intention of letting his lifelong club down. The fear of retirement and especially of emptiness seems to inhabit him. "I would have the strength to watch games without being directly involved, but to no longer participate, I think that would be beyond my efforts. I will continue as long as possible to talk intellectually. I don't want to do nothing," he recently told Olympique-et-Lyonnais.com.
It remains to be seen what the position of John Textor will be, who can whistle the end of the playground at any time. When he arrived last December, the new American owner specified that Aulas "would keep the operational presidency of Olympique Lyonnais for at least three years and would remain surrounded by his team". But we can imagine, in the event of a final victory in the Coupe de France, a perfect opportunity for the historic president of OL to go out the front door and close on a high note one of the richest chapters of French football. .
