Olympique Lyonnais is going to Old Trafford this Thursday to face Manchester United in the quarterfinals return from the Europa League. The opportunity for Rayan Cherki to illustrate again under the Rhone colors. Already a goalscorer (2-2), the 21-year-old French attacking midfielder also received the praise of his Lyon coach, Paulo Fonseca, during an interview with the newspaper The team.
The Portuguese technician spoke of the progress of the young talent of the Gones. “Rayan is an incredible player. But he wants to be where the ball is, he doesn't necessarily have patience to wait in the right place. I think these kinds of players, you can't change them like that. Today, Rayan is different. He can come two or three times to touch the ball when we don't need it … But when I got it, he did it all the time. What I try to do with him is not to move him away from his freedom, because this freedom makes the difference in the last thirty meters. I try to make him understand how to play in phase 1 and phase 2, when he has to come to the ball and when you don't need it. What I like about him is that he is a good boy, ready to listen to. When I ask him something, he tries to do it, even if sometimes he forgets it ”explained Fonseca.
“I have rarely seen this kind of player”
The former AC Milan manager detects something special, rare among the majority of players in Cherki. “Rayan is a unique player. He needs to improve a lot of things, but he has a technical quality that is difficult to find elsewhere. I have been in other big clubs and I have rarely seen this kind of player. Rayan is talent. Sometimes, in the middle of the session, I say to myself: 'How do they see these things? How does he find this guy when there is no space? ' It's just talent, and it can make the difference. Of course, I don't like when it is not concerned enough to defend, but we cannot have everything with this kind of players ”concluded the native of Maputo.
As a reminder, since the start of the season, Cherki has played 38 games for a total of 11 goals and 18 assists with OL.
