Paulo Fonseca urges Lyon to score first in Sparta Prague second leg | OneFootball

Paulo Fonseca says Lyon must score first, and plans a 4-3-3 with Ernest Nuamah, Loïs Openda and Malick Fofana to face Sparta Prague.

After a 1-2 first-leg defeat in Prague in the Champions League third qualifying round, Lyon need at least one goal to level. The second leg is at Groupama Stadium on Tuesday at 21:00. Moussa Niakhaté returns from suspension to start in central defence.

Fonseca said the problem away was not the back five, with Tanner Tessmann inside, but their defensive positioning and a lack of aggression in both boxes. He believes his wide options are now ready and wants Lyon to create more danger in Sparta’s half. If they do score first, he expects a hard-fought contest until the end.

He dismissed talk of revenge, stressing that an extra week of work helps. Lyon are disappointed with the first-leg result, he said, but have another chance to put it right, stay in this competition and change things.

Midfielder Tyler Morton welcomed the system, saying it suits his passing range, but insisted aggression on the ball will be decisive. He felt Lyon gave Sparta too much time and space and never underestimated them. He remains very confident.

Source: L'Équipe

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