Tonight, at 21:45, Qarabag will face their fifth Europa League group stage opponent: the 74-year-old French club, Lyon.
Founded on August 3, 1954, Lyon has a storied history, Idman.biz reports.
By the 1960s, the club was already making waves with French Cup victories and finals appearances. Since 1989, they have been a permanent fixture in Ligue 1. However, their golden era came in the early 21st century, as they dominated French football, winning the league title for seven consecutive seasons from 2001–2002 to 2007–2008.
Lyon's honors include:
• 7 Ligue 1 Championships
• 5 French Cup titles
• 8 French Super Cups
• Internationally, the club has been a two-time UEFA Champions League semi-finalist (2010, 2020) and a UEFA Europa League semi-finalist in 2017.
They also clinched the Intertoto Cup in 1997.
Despite these achievements, the club's recent performance has dipped. Last season, they finished 6th in Ligue 1 and are currently in the same position after 12 rounds with 19 points. Their standout player this season, Malick Fofana, has scored three goals in 12 matches, matching his total from last season. Meanwhile, former star striker Alexandre Lacazette has managed only one goal in as many appearances.
In European competitions, Lyon has struggled to maintain their former dominance. The team last played in the Champions League five seasons ago and has missed out on continental football entirely for the past two years.
This Europa League campaign started well for Lion, with victories over Olympiacos (2–0) and Rangers (4–1). However, a home loss to Besiktas (0–1) and a draw against Hoffenheim (2–2) have left them 9th in the group standings with seven points.
Though far from their early 2000s strength, Lyon remains a formidable opponent. Tonight’s clash against Qarabag will be a key test for both sides.
Vugar Mammadov
Idman.biz
