MEDICAL UPDATE
“You have to wait until the last training session to choose the squad. There are players in difficulty. Maxwel Cornet is doing much better, chances are he can play. Fernando Marçal had a little muscle tightness, as did Karl Toko Ekambi. Bruno Guimaraes and Kenny Tete are a little ill. The difficulty is the number of matches. Youssouf Koné is close. He played a scrimmage. It is possible that he is in the squad if there are absences which are yet to be confirmed ... The pace of the matches is inhuman."
THE TEAM'S CURRENT FORM
“We worked very well in early 2020 with a high turnover. The squad has changed a little less recently. Important players are back in the group like Léo Dubois, and Bruno and Karl Toko Ekambi have blended well with the collective. We have a good defensive block. Everyone is at their best. They are all in form at the same time. We play a style of play that is close to the level I want ... We have a group that gets on well. They pull each other up to give the best of themselves. There is a force which emerges from this group and which must be maintained. By doing things together, they are rewarded."
THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOVERY
“We have a staff to focus on physical and medical preparation. We try to find out what is best for the players. The cold weather can help recovery. The psychological aspect is also important. Players have to do what seems right for them. They know their own bodies. They have to make the recovery within themselves. For the moment, things are going well."
THE COUPE DE FRANCE
"Doing calculations is never good. There is a final at the end and it is within reach for us. We want to succeed in all competitions. Let's play this match and we'll see for the next ones. There are still big matches to follow until the break. We must continue in a serious fashion. We have had a lot of fun and we must approach this big match in the same way."
THE MIDFIELD
“They are complementary. They are able to impose themselves on the opponent and be strong defensively. There was a bit of fatigue. There is also a will to move forward. It’s a matter of being complementary. The relationship among the three is good. Lucas Tousart does an incredible job. Bruno Guimaraes sees things quickly and acts on them. It is not a given for everyone. It is simple, collective play with a good quality of passing. He only plays the ball backwards if he has to. He is flourishing for the moment with us."
COMPETITION FOR PLACES
“To come back, Thiago will have to be better than his competitors. The younger players are not getting credit, like Maxence Caqueret or Jean Lucas. He does not go further than the others. There is a lot of competition. It is the club's leaders who manage things beyond the sporting side of things. I don't need to get into the circus of social media."
THE CORONA VIRUS
"This is a major problem beyond football. We'll see for the Juventus match. We will follow its evolution like everyone else."
Source: Olympique Lyonnais