Memphis Depay sealed a last-gasp 3-2 win for Lyon that saved a manager, sparked a brawl and made it clear why this fierce rivalry is welcome in Ligue 1
By Adam White and Eric Devin for Get French Football News
Two months ago Memphis Depay crashed his last-minute shot past Alphonse Areola to give Lyon a 2-1 win against Paris Saint-Germain and cut the gap at the top of Ligue 1 to eight points. Lyon looked like genuine outsiders for the title and Bruno Génésio seemed to have finally figured out his team. But as Sunday night’s Olympico at the Stade Vélodrome approached, the mood around Lyon had severely darkened.
In the six Ligue 1 games following the win over PSG, Lyon collected just three points and no wins. Monaco and Marseille forged clear in the mad dash for Champions League places and Génésio’s side again capitulated in the Europa League this week, a 3-2 home defeat by CSKA Moscow only surpassed in disappointment by their inept semi-final display in Amsterdam in the same competition last season. Rumours of unrest were underlined by full-back Marçal’s exile from the squad after an outburst against Génésio’s management and the fact that Lyon president, Jean-Michel Aulas, had to deny he refused the coach’s resignation. Losing to a direct rival in Marseille would have ended Lyon’s top three hopes and likely sealed Génésio’s fate.
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