It was therefore Olympique Lyonnais who offered themselves the 125th derby in history against AS Saint-Etienne. Sunday evening at Groupama Stadium, Pierre Sage’s men relied on Alexandre Lacazette’s one and only goal to win the match (1-0, 11th day) and at the same time climb to fifth place in the League standings. 1. After the meeting, the “General” however surprised everyone with a response to a question asked by a journalist. He should no longer be at Lyon next season.
As surprising as it may seem, it was the very first time that Alexandre Lacazette played a derby against ASSE at Groupama. Having left for Arsenal in 2017 before OL left their old Gerland stadium, the French striker returned in 2022 and he had to wait for the Greens to return to Ligue 1 to be entitled to this famous duel in the new Lyon enclosure. A first and very probably a last for him, as he suggested at the microphone of DAZN just after the meeting. “It makes you very happy, very proud. (…) It’s my first derby at Groupama, probably the last too. »
Goodbye OL?
A way of making it clear that he would no longer be at OL next summer. Under contract until June 2025, Alexandre Lacazette was already largely hesitant to leave last July before choosing to stay to complete his commitment. Now aged thirty-three, the 2024 Olympic vice-champion should therefore offer himself a new (and final?) career adventure after his second stint with his favorite club.
In the meantime, the Gones offensive lineman will want to heal his exit by scoring more goals. If he had long stood up to Kylian MbappĂ© in the scorers’ rankings last season, he is much less lively this season. His goal on Sunday evening was only his second, which still places him far from Bradley Barcola, current top scorer in Ligue 1 with ten goals under his belt. But nothing is decided and Alexandre Lacazette has not said his last word.
