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25 April 2024

Lyon need Bernabeu spirit to see off Bayern

Lyon need Bernabeu spirit to see off Bayern. (SUPPLIED)

Published
By Reuters

The spirit which saw off Real Madrid earlier in the competition will be revived if Lyon are to fell Bayern Munich today and book their place in a first Champions League final.

Trailing 1-0 after the first leg in which the Germans had to play most of the game with 10 men after Franck Ribery's sending off, Lyon striker Lisandro Lopez and coach Claude Puel said the Ligue 1 side need to up the ante.

"The team must change its attitude, its mentality. We played too defensively. We must have a more positive mindset. We need to change tactics if we are to progress," Lisandro told reporters.

The Argentine said Lyon should be inspired by their performance at the Bernabeu in the first knockout round when a 1-1 draw gave them the edge against Real Madrid after a 1-0 win in the first leg.

"We've made it once, we can do it again. That day, we all wanted to go through."

Puel, however, has some defensive woes before the clash at their Stade Gerland, with centre back Cris doubtful with hip and knee pains, Mathieu Bodmer ruled out injured and Jeremy Toulalan suspended after picking up a red card in Munich.

Centre Jean-Alain Boumsong has resumed training following a calf injury and should at least be in the squad.

Following their scrappy 1-1 league draw against Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday, Bayern must up their tempo and they will have to do that without playmaker Ribery, suspended following his red card in the first leg.

Ribery will be joined on the sidelines by Croat Danijel Pranjic, who is also suspended.

As Bayern chase an unprecedented treble for a German team with domestic honours also in their sights, they are also concerned about a potential weakness in their central defence.

Martin Demichelis and Daniel van Buyten picked up injuries in the game against Gladbach and are racing against the clock to be fit for the match.

"I could not step on my leg after the hit," Van Buyten said after taking a knock on the thigh and limping off.