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February 14, 2012 7:45 PM GMT
Stade de Gerland — Lyon
Referee: P. Tagliavento
Attendance: 32010
Champions League Preview: Olympique Lyonnais - APOEL
The Champions League returns with the unfancied Cypriots aiming to continue their incredible run in the competition when they visit les Gones in the first leg at Stade Gerland
By Mohammed Ali
| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
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LYON
Lloris
Reveilliere, Kone, Umtiti, Cissokho Briand, Gonalons, Kallstrom, Bastos
Lisandro Lopez, Gomis |
APOEL
Chiotis Poursaiditidis, Jorge, Kaka, Oliveira Morais, Pinto Charalambidis, Marcinho, Manduca Ailton |
Lyon coach Remi Garde has no pressing injury concerns ahead of their Champions League Round of 16 first leg clash against APOEL Nicosia.
Despite a shock 2-1 defeat to Caen in Ligue 1 on Saturday, Kim Kallstrom is expected to regain his place in midfield after the Sweden international was left out at the weekend due to suspension. Dejan Lovren's achilles problems continue to hinder his anticipated return to the first team, with youngster Samuel Umtiti ready to deputise.
It's been little over two months since les Gones performed the greatest of escapes by thrashing Dinamo Zagreb 7-1 to sneak into the last 16 at the expense of Ajax in Group D.
Bafetimbi Gomis, who scored the competition's fastest-ever hat-trick on matchday six, will lead the attack, alongside Lisandro Lopez.
For APOEL, the incredible journey continues. The Cypriot side, minnows in the group stage, spectacularly topped Group G ahead of three of their last four Europa League winners in Shakhtar Donetsk, Zenit St Petersburg and Porto.
Ivan Jovanovic's men are at full-strength in what is arguably the biggest match in their history. Brazilian Ailton, who has three goals in this season's tournament, will lead the line from the front.
Former Chelsea midfielder Nuno Morais will anchor the side in midfield, with Gustavo Manduca set to continue his record of starting every Champions League game for Tuesday's visitors.
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DID YOU KNOW? |
- Olympique Lyonnais hit back from a goal down to beat Dinamo Zagreb 7-1 to move into the last 16 for the ninth straight season.
- Remi Garde's men will be seeking to qualify for the quarter-final for only the second
time in six years, and the first since 2009-10.
- At this stage of the competition, Lyon have only fallen once at the Stade Gerland, beaten 2-0 by AS Roma in 2006-07.
- Les Gones have bowed out of the tournament at this stage in four out of the last five seasons.
- This will be the first ever meeting between Lyon and APOEL.
- APOEL, the first Cypriot side to reach the last 16 of the Champions League, topping Group G with nine points ahead of Zenit St Petersburg.
- Ivan Jovanovic's men have drawn all three of their away games in the group stage.
- The Nicosia-based club have also only conceded just three goals in six away games in the Champions League this season (including qualifiers), keeping three clean sheets in the process.
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
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Olympique Lyonnais 2-0 APOEL Nicosia
- 20 %
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Olympique Lyonnais 2-1 APOEL Nicosia
- 13.37 %
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Olympique Lyonnais 1-1 APOEL Nicosia
- 9.94 %
| UEFA Champions League (UCL) | Mar 7, 2012 | APOEL Nicosia 1 - Olympique Lyonnais 0 | |
| UEFA Champions League (UCL) | Feb 14, 2012 | Olympique Lyonnais 1 - APOEL Nicosia 0 |
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| May 20, 2012 | Olympique Lyonnais 3 - OGC Nice 4 | FRA1 |
| May 13, 2012 | AC Ajaccio 1 - Olympique Lyonnais 1 | FRA1 |
| May 10, 2012 | Evian Thonon Gaillard 1 - Olympique Lyonnais 3 | FRA1 |
| May 6, 2012 | Olympique Lyonnais 1 - Stade Brestois 29 1 | FRA1 |
| May 2, 2012 | Olympique Lyonnais 4 - Valenciennes FC 1 | FRA1 |
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| Apr 4, 2012 | Real Madrid CF 5 - APOEL Nicosia 2 | UCL |
| Mar 27, 2012 | APOEL Nicosia 0 - Real Madrid CF 3 | UCL |
| Mar 7, 2012 | APOEL Nicosia 1 - Olympique Lyonnais 0 | UCL |
| Feb 14, 2012 | Olympique Lyonnais 1 - APOEL Nicosia 0 | UCL |
| Dec 6, 2011 | APOEL Nicosia 0 - Shakhtar Donetsk 2 | UCL |
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- Granero hails Real Madrid's attacking strength
| 1 | Hugo Lloris | Goalkeeper |
| 3 | Cris | Defender |
| 14 | Baky | Defender |
| 13 | Anthony Réveillère | Defender |
| 20 | Aly Cissokho | Defender |
| 6 | Kim Källström | Midfielder |
| 10 | Ederson | Midfielder |
| 11 | Michel Fernandes Bastos | Midfielder |
| 21 | Maxime Gonalons | Midfielder |
| 9 | Licha López | Striker |
| 17 | Alexandre Lacazette | Striker |
| 30 | Rémy Vercoutre | Goalkeeper |
| 14 | Mouhamadou Dabo | Defender |
| 43 | Samuel Umtiti | Defender |
| 8 | Yoann Gourcuff | Midfielder |
| 15 | Gueida Fofana | Midfielder |
| 18 | Bafetimbi Gomis | Striker |
| 19 | Jimmy Briand | Striker |
| 22 | Dionisis Chiotis | Goalkeeper |
| 3 | Paulo Jorge | Defender |
| 4 | Claudiano Bezerra da Silva | Defender |
| 7 | Savvas Poursaitidis | Defender |
| 98 | Boaventura | Defender |
| 10 | Konstantinos Charalambides | Midfielder |
| 26 | Nuno Morais | Defender |
| - | Helder Sousa | Midfielder |
| 8 | Ailton | Striker |
| 11 | Ivan Trickovski | Midfielder |
| 23 | Hélio Pinto | Striker |
| 78 | Urko Pardo | Goalkeeper |
| 17 | Marinos Satsias | Midfielder |
| 77 | Athos Solomou | Midfielder |
| 81 | Marcinho da Silva | Midfielder |
| 9 | Esteban Andrés Solari | Striker |
| 21 | Gustavo Manduca | Midfielder |
| 29 | Nektarios Alexandrou | Midfielder |
| Bafetimbi Gomis | |
| Position: | Striker |
| Squad Number: | 18 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Ailton | |
| Position: | Striker |
| Squad Number: | 8 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
With a tantalising second leg in prospect in Cyprus on March 7, the onus will be on APOEL to restrict Lyon in the first leg, before doing damage at GSP in three weeks. However, with Gomis in form for the hosts, expect a comfortable victory.
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Lionel Messi
Striker Barcelona |
14 | 4 |
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Mario Gomez
Striker Bayern |
13 | 0 |
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Cristiano Ronaldo
Striker Real Madrid |
10 | 2 |
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Karim Benzema
Striker Real Madrid |
7 | 0 |
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Didier Drogba
Striker Chelsea |
6 | 0 |