As we all know the Champions League returns this week, with gameweek one split over Tuesday and Wednesday. One of the teams hoping to pick-up a gameweek one victory is French outfit Lyon, who host Zenit St Petersburg on Tuesday night.
After a stellar start to their Ligue One campaign, Sylvinho’s side heads into this game on the back of a three-game winless run. The poor run has rather tempered the excitement the opening two gameweek victories produced.
The fact, that Lyon have failed to win in their last seven Champions League games rather adds to the nerves of the home fans too. However, six of those seven matches in Europe’s elite competition finished in draws. A 5-1 hammering at the hands of Barcelona in their last match in the competition ended a ten-game unbeaten run for OL.
Lyon have drawn their last five home matches in the Champions League, having failed to win in six games in the competition.
#OLZenit Retour sur les matchs marquants de @ChampionsLeagueau @GroupamaStadium ! https://t.co/Pid0qclyAm— Olympique Lyonnais (@OL) September 17, 2019
#OLZenit Retour sur les matchs marquants de @ChampionsLeagueau @GroupamaStadium ! https://t.co/Pid0qclyAm
The French side will be looking to in-form attacking duo Memphis Depay and Moussa Dembele to fire them to victory. The pair have scored four and five goals respectively in their four top-flight matches so far this season.
Zenit have won their last two competitive games and are currently second place in the Russian Premier Division. The Russian side does not have a great recent record in the Champions League, as they have lost their last three matches in the competition.
However, the visitors last featured in the Champions League in season 2015/16, so much has changed at the Russian club since that poor run of form.
Zenit must improve upon their away record if they want to progress beyond the group stages, as they have suffered defeat in four of their last six matches in the Champions League.
Neither side has thrived in the Champions League of late. However, Forebet predicts that Lyon will nick a victory in a low-scoring encounter.