The Manchester United season depends on what will take place the next two Thursday evenings when they face Lyon in what will necessarily be two quarter -final equalities in the Europa League.
An attractive confrontation raised the setting as a result of a war of words between Andre Onana and Nemanja Matic in the last 24 hours.
Despite their poor performance in the Premier League who left the Ruben Amorim team in 13th place, United remains the only team of the second -level club competition in Europe who has not yet tasted defeat.
The Red Devils beat Real Sociedad 5-2 in aggregate in the previous round, Captain Bruno Fernandes producing a man in the match of the match in the 4-1 victory in the second stage.
Although qualifications for European football are out of the question at the national level, the Europa League offers a lucrative opportunity to obtain a place in the Champions League next season.
However, Manchester United must overcome a Lyon team who beat FCSB 7-1 on the aggregates in the last 16 16, before facing Bilbao or athletic rangers in the semi-finals.
Lyon will seek to recreate this happy celebration when they face Man United in Europe
The French part will seek to suffocate United and progress to the semi-finals of the Europa League
Manage coach from Man United Ruben Amorim (second on the right) knows that they are in a delicate quarter-final
The War of the Words of André Onana (on the left) and Nemanja Matic added a spice in the quarter -finals
The Lyon opponents are in great shape to come in the match, sitting fifth in Ligue 1 in 48 points, winning half of their games played.
Lyon is a renowned French football giant, which began a national sequence of seven successive titles in 2002.
After several declining seasons, the Gones are going through a Renaissance for the moment and are hunting to finish the second Ligue 1 behind PSG as well as to seek European glory.
On Thursday, United Fans and supporters of the Premier League will be welcomed by familiar faces during the meeting with many former English high flight players currently playing for Lyon.
The Red Devils fans’ base will have mixed feelings about seeing the midfielder at the Serbian Center Nemanja Matic play in the opposing team.
The 36 -year -old played 189 times for Old Trafford holding, but never raised a trophy during his five seasons to Old Trafford – something that reminded him of the united goalkeeper United Anda in an exchange of fiery words on Wednesday.
Matic made a first exception to the comments of Onana on the fact that Lyon was the lower side, saying during his pre-match press conference on Wednesday afternoon: “ When you are one of the worst goalkeepers in Man United history, you have to take care of what you are talking about.
“If David de Gea, or Peter Schmeichel, or (Edwin) van der Sar said that, then I will question myself.
To which Onana retreded on X: “I would never be disrespectful towards another club. We know that tomorrow will be a difficult match against a strong opponent. We focus on preparing a performance to make our fans proud.
“At least, I raised trophies with the largest club in the world. Some cannot say the same thing.
Matic scored onana “ one of the worst goalkeepers in Man United’s history ‘after the goalkeeper said that the Red Devils were a “best team” than his current club, Lyon Lyon
Onana retaliated, making fun of Matic for winning no trophy in United in a five -year spell
Onana has been criticized for a series of high -level errors since he joined United in 2023
Fans will be impatient to see the Serbian in action and whether confrontations in the field with the Stop-Stopper United.
Matic is not the only former premier league player of this Lyon team – with the former Arsenal duo Alexandre Lacazette and Ainsley Maitland -Niles obtain an icy reception of United Supporters.
Lacazette scored 54 times in 158 Premier League appearances and will be impatient to please arsenal fans by marking a little more against United.
The 33 -year -old scored 14 goals in 35 games in all competitions, taking place three times in his last three games in the League.
The product of the Maitland-Niles Academy will have a similar state of mind, having been in Arsenal for 20 years before its move to Lyon.
Alexandre Lacazette will be Captain Lyon (left) and is a familiar face who played for Arsenal
The Groupama stadium will be noisy during the visit of United in the Europa League Thursday
The rear right has made Lyon his house since his free transfer, operating on both sides of La Défense.
The Premier League connections do not stop there with the former Nottingham Forest Center Moussa Niakhate and Jordan Veretout center.
The Varetout midfielder was a replacement of Fabian Delph after his sale in Manchester City, but the Frenchman never adapted to English football.
Consequently, Veretout was part of the Villa team relegated 2015-2016, a striking contrast with the team which is now in the quarter-final of the Champions League.
However, Manchester United should not focus on the former Talent of the Premier League, Lyon also has some of the most exciting young talents that roam the ranks.
Georges Mikautadze, born in Lyon, has a sensational first season for the Gones after joining the start of the season after its superb Euro 2024 campaign with Georgia.
Georges Mikautadze, born in Lyon, has a first sensational season for the French outfit
The 24 -year -old striker shared a few minutes with the aging Lacazette, but was deadly with 14 goals and eight assists in 39 appearances.
The Georgian is not the only young pistol to watch, because Rayan Cherki, 21, will also be a handful for the Red Devils with nine goals and 18 assists in 36 games this season.
The French international is also dominant with both feet, oozing with technical quality, which can play on the two wings and as n ° 10.
By progressing through the reputable Academy of Lyon, notably Karim Benzema, Nabil Fekir, Hatem Ben Arfa and Anthony Martial, Cherki undoubtedly has the most natural talent.
After the initial criticisms of his professionalism and his attitude after having made his debut just two months after his 16th birthday, the attacker matured and prospered under the management of Paolo Fonseca.
In the Lyon system, French tends to start right and derives more centrally to have an impact on the game.
Rayan Cherki (right) is undoubtedly the best player that Lyon has produced – such is his technical level
Corentin Tolisso is responsible for heavy work to allow Cherki freedom, giving the possession and the talented space of the attacker to dictate the game.
A key reason for the takeover of Cherki, the coach of Lyon, Fonseca, is a passionate character who channels the audacity and ingenuity of Maurizio Sarri and Pep Guardiola while admiring the work of his Portuguese compatriot Jose Mourinho.
However, the Boss of Lyon currently lasts an interior suspension of nine months after an altercation with the referee in a championship match where the Portuguese were sent and clashed on the referee’s face.
Currently, he is excluded from the canoe and communication with his bench until November 30, but will be authorized to access the locker room and the tunnel area from September 15.
“Incredible,” he said about the goalkeeper’s ban. “Of course, what I did was not correct and I should pay for it. But I shouted to the referee, I had no contact with him or by committing (violence).
The boss of Lyon, Paulo Fonseca, received a nine -month ban to have a referee in March in March
The APH complained that Fonseca had made him a “head-headbutt attempt” during the incident
Fonseca is excluded from shelter and communication with its bench until November 30
“They want to make an example of me for French football, I think I do not pay what I did, but for the moment we are. But I shouldn’t be an example, I should just pay for what I did.
“It’s unfair, but we are fighting against this decision and I think things can change. It is difficult to understand when we see so many of these situations in all countries and no one has received a penalty as I did.
Deputy Director Jorge Maciel did a solid job to direct the ship in the absence of former Roma and AC Milan.
However, Fonseca will be back in the canoe on Thursday, because his ban does not include European games and he will be delighted with the bit to exercise his influence on the sidelines in a place where they have lost only three times all season.
