Zachary Athekame set for Istanbul trip after late registration | OneFootball

Zachary Athekame is set to be available for Lyon’s Champions League play-off at Fenerbahçe on Tuesday, after the club used a UEFA rules provision. The right-back had initially been left out of their squad submission.

According to L'Équipe, DNCG controls on Lyon’s wage bill have slowed LFP registrations, so the 21-year-old Swiss was only able to complete a loan from AC Milan late on Saturday. That timing meant he could not be listed at first.

He was absent from the 25-player List A sent to UEFA on Thursday for the tie, whose first leg is on Tuesday 18 August with the return on Wednesday 26.

Lyon have relied on Article 31.10, which allows clubs in the play-offs to add up to two new eligible players after the deadline if homegrown quotas are met. Submissions must arrive by 23:59 the day before the first leg and the association must confirm national eligibility in writing. That would let Paulo Fonseca ease the burden on Ainsley Maitland-Niles at right-back.

Athekame was added to the list over the weekend, with UEFA expected to confirm the change on Monday morning. Earlier signing Felix Bacher was already included, replacing Orel Mangala after his loan move to Getafe.

Source: L'Équipe

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