Lyon’s 1999, 2013 and 2014 flops shadow Sparta Prague return | OneFootball

Lyon host Sparta Prague on Tuesday at 21:00 in the Champions League third qualifying round, trailing 1-2 from the first leg. They do so with memories of three summer exits still stinging.

According to L'Équipe, if Lyon overturn Sparta, then clear play-offs against Fenerbahçe of Türkiye or Sturm Graz on 18-19 and 25-26 August, hopes would open up. In 2009-10 they came through by sweeping Anderlecht 5-1 and 3-1, then reached the semi-finals, as in 2019-20.

In August 1999, their first Champions League campaign unravelled against NK Maribor. Lyon lost 0-1 at Gerland on 10 August to Filipovic on 89 minutes, then 0-2 away on 25 August through Simundza and Balajic.

In 2013, Real Sociedad and Antoine Griezmann punished Lyon in the play-offs. A 0-2 home defeat on 20 August brought goals for Griezmann on 17 and Seferovic on 49, then Carlos Vela scored on 67 and 90+1 in another 0-2 at Anoeta. They had earlier edged Grasshopper 1-0 and 1-0.

The nadir came in the 2014 Europa League play-offs against Astra Giurgiu. Lyon lost 1-2 at Gerland on 21 August despite Steed Malbranque’s opener, Fatai equalised and Budescu converted a penalty, then won 1-0 away on 28 August but went out on away goals. That exit ended 18 straight European seasons.

Source: L'Équipe

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