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[Alexandra]

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[Alexandra]

Parfum de scandale à Lyon

Alors que Bordeaux et Marseille se neutralisaient un but partout, Lyon a repris la tête du classement en s’imposant à domicile 3 buts à 2 face à des Niçois, victimes de grossières fautes d’arbitrage. Scandaleux.

Lyon est-il favorisé par les arbitres ? La question a fait le tour de tous les talk show des émissions footballistiques après la victoire contestée et contestable de Lyon sur Nice 3 buts à 2 à Gerland. Menés deux buts à zéro sur leur pelouse, les Lyonnais ont réduit le score sur coup franc avant la pause grâce à l’inévitable Juninho et sa patte droite en or. Jusque là, rien à redire sauf qu’à un quart d’heure de la fin, le capitaine brésilien de l’OL a cette fois reçu un coup de pouce de l’arbitre et de son assistant. Sur un coup franc lointain du Brésilien, Frédéric Piquionne, en position de hors jeu indéniable, est passé devant le ballon, faisant directement action de jeu et trompant le gardien niçois Bruno Létizi. Au final, personne n’a touché le ballon et c’est au capitaine des Gones que le but a été attribué, sous les yeux de Niçois excédés contre le corps arbitral.

Le pénalty de la discorde
Malheureusement, le pire était à venir. A la dernière des quatre minutes du temps additionnel, le défenseur sudiste Vincent Hognon touchait légèrement le ballon avec la main en taclant Karim Benzema. L’arbitre assistant a alors bêtement agité son drapeau pour signaler une faute dans la surface. L’arbitre central a suivi et a offert un penalty à l'OL, transformé sans scrupule par Benzema. Un pur scandale dans les règles. Après s’être révolté contre l’arbitre, le défenseur Niçois Cyril Rool a reçu l'énième carton rouge de sa carrière pour compléter le tableau d’une soirée bien triste.
Pas d’arnaque, ni de scandale mais un match au parfum de Ligue des Champions lors du très attendu Bordeaux-Marseille. Les deux équipes ont offert au public de Chaban-Delmas une prestation d’une belle intensité. Chamakh a superbement répondu à Koné qui avait ouvert la marque pour les Olympiens qui ont dû céder leur place de leader à des Lyonnais plutôt ménagés ce week end.

source: lepetitjournal.com


Translation:

Scent of scandal at Lyon (Smells like scandal, something like that)

While Bordeaux and Marseille only made an equal match (1-1), Lyon took over the Ligue 1 table, by winning 3-2 to Nice, victims the bad arbitration. Scandalous.

Lyon is favoured by the referees? The issue has been mentioned at every football talk-show, after the contested and controversial victory against Nice.

(I will sum up the most important parts again, it's kinda hard to translate this whole article, word by word.)
In the 4th extra-time minute, Vincent Hognon lightly touched the ball with his hand while tackling Karim Benzema. The assistant waved his flag to indicate a fault in the surface. The central offered OL a penalty, transformed unscrupulously by Benzema.
The journalist says that one of Juninho's goals is debatable, bacause Piquionne was in an undeniable offside position. (I didn't see the match, I don't know which goal or if Piquionne really was in offside.)

[Alexandra]

Juninho unlikely to make it to Munich

Olympique Lyonnais captain Juninho Pernambucano is likely to miss the French champions' Group F tie against German counterparts FC Bayern München, with coach Claude Puel saying: "MRI scans have revealed a pulled groin muscle."

'Very doubtful'
The 33-year-old was rested for last weekend's 1-0 win at Le Havre AC but was be expected to be available again for Lyon's home game against AS Nancy-Lorraine at the weekend. However, Puel has decided not to risk the Brazilian and is not expecting him to be available for the UEFA Champions League fixture on Tuesday either. "MRI scans have revealed a pulled groin muscle," said Puel. "We have written him off for Nancy and he is also very doubtful for the game against Bayern." Juninho scored as Lyon won 2-1 at Bayern in their last trip to Munich in the 2003/04 season and has already scored twice from free-kicks this season. Lyon drew their Group F opener 2-2 at home against ACF Fiorentina.

source: uefa.com


NOOOO NO NO!

WE'RE SO SCREWED.. JUNI GET WELL, PLEASE!

[Alexandra]

Lyon chief to quit over stadium row?

Jean-Michel Aulas has threatened to quit as Lyon president if building work on the club's proposed new stadium does not begin in 2010.

Administrative reasons and complaints by local residents have delayed the start of work on the new 60,000-capacity arena which will be located in the Decines-Charpieu region of the city.

Aulas had originally planned for the stadium to be opened in 2010 but it looks now like building work will only begin that year.

If it does not, Aulas is threatening to leave the club of which he became president in 1987.

"If work on the Montoud site does not start in 2010, I will quit the presidency of the club and I will go elsewhere," he said.

"If, for political reasons, I must take my project elsewhere, I will do it."

Lyon were in the second tier when Aulas joined but he has turned around the team's fortunes, and they are now the richest club in France.

They have dominated Ligue 1 since the 2001-02 season, winning seven successive championships.

source: soccernet.espn.go.com

[Alexandra]

French champions Lyon slump to first defeat

Seven-times reigning French league champions Lyon were thrashed 3-0 by Rennes on Sunday for their first defeat of the season following a Mickael Pagis hat-trick.

Lyon's Brazilian centre back Cris looked in difficulty, left back Kim Kallstrom was out of sorts and the absences of key players Sidney Govou and Juninho through injury contributed to the demise of Claude Puel's men.

Lyon had won six of their seven matches till this defeat with their only dropped points a 0-0 draw against Lorient.

Puel's men were in a 4-4-2 formation, as a result of Juninho's absence, for the first time in a year and this tactical change could have contributed to their poor performance.

Rennes had the upper hand in midfield against their opponents, who earned a creditable 1-1 Champions League draw at Bayern Munich in midweek, though it was the performance of 35-year-old striker Pagis which stood out as he earned his first goals of the season.

The fixture for Pagis to finally get off the scoresheet could not have fallen better for Rennes.

His 17th minute goal was a simple affair, his second in the 56th minute was a superb team effort and his 67th-minute third was a sublime individual goal as he found the net with a powerful shot from long range.

Lyon, who have not been beaten 3-0 in the competition since losing to Lens in January, suffered their first league defeat since April 6.

Lyon Karim Benzema, who has attracted interest from a host of top European clubs and has been linked with a move to Manchester United, had a sub-par match though he did have a couple of chances in the first half.

Also on Sunday, St Etienne had a 2-0 victory over Monaco while Nancy was hosting Paris Saint Germain in the late match.

source: soccerway.com