This week could prove pivotal in the recent history of Lyon. A cup semi-final and a decision over embattled coach Bruno Genesio’s future will go some way to shaping the club’s longer term prospects. Outspoken yet inspirational president Jean-Michel Aulas looks likely to persist with Genesio, whose stewardship of the team has fluctuated wildly during his three years in charge, in a decision that will incite fan ire and ignore flirtatious glances from José Mourinho. Aulas’ stubbornness may have finally gotten the better of him.
During Aulas’ 32-year presidency, Lyon have conquered many a summit but their dominance of the early 2000s – when they won seven consecutive titles, reached a Champions League semi-final and a smattering of cups – has receded from memory quicker than many would have expected. In light of PSG’s success and Monaco’s glorious 2017 title win, Lyon fans have grown impatient – particularly with Genesio.
“We believe, as we said last season, that only the departure of Bruno Genesio will allow a more serene atmosphere around the club,” read a statement from the Bad Gones ultra group. “Without serenity our club will not be able to reach the summits for which it is intended.”
Genesio, a Lyon native who played for the club and initially served as an assistant manager to Hubert Fournier, has had a tenure characterised by extremes. The highs of marquee domestic wins over PSG, ending a pair of unbeaten PSG campaigns in four seasons, and overcoming Manchester City in September, plus making the 2017 Europa League semi-finals, have been balanced by catastrophic collapses. An abject 4-1 defeat to Ajax in the first leg of that Europa League semi-final and repeated struggles against lesser opponents in France have halted progress.
While negative chants and banners are common, fan anger has often spilled into unsavoury territory: Genesio was involved in an altercation with a fan before Christmas who reportedly insulted his daughter. With pressure mounting and his contract set to expire this summer, Genesio’s future has been debated all season.
The 52-year-old has been here before. With fans infuriated at a limp European exit to Lokomotiv Moscow last March, Genesio seemed to be edging towards the exit before a dramatic 3-2 win over Marseille and subsequent qualification for the Champions League revitalised his prospects.
After a late goal from Martin Terrier gave Lyon a 1-0 win at Rennes on Friday night, L’Équipe reported that the board will offer Genesio a new two-year deal with an option for a third. The new deal is expected to be announced this week.
Aulas has always been Genesio’s most fervent supporter, describing his victorious game plan at the Etihad as “perfect, the match went as Bruno imagined”, while routinely saying that his “players play for him.” In September, Aulas, who regularly meets with fan groups, dismissed protests as “a movement of the young, who have an opinion on everything, and is not necessarily supported elsewhere.”
For Aulas, fiercely proud of his club, Genesio meets his coaching criteria. “I do not think the arrival of a foreign coach would be the best thing,” stated Aulas last autumn, “I’ve never had one … when 50 to 70% of the squad comes from the academy, we have an interest in having a coach who has OL DNA.” Genesio certainly has that, as he explained after the club’s exit from the Europa League exit last year: “I am Lyonnais, every time I go out in the streets it’s as if I have a Lyon jersey on. When we’re playing well, we’re proud, but right now I’m not afraid to say that I’m ashamed of what we did, considering the fans and the institution.”
Nevertheless, Genesio may have come close to leaving. L’Équipe reported before the Coupe de France quarter-final with Caen that Genesio was “playing for his future”, while suggestions that Mourinho was interested in a Ligue 1 job have intensified, with Lyon reportedly a preference. L’Équipe even splashed a sneering Mourinho on their front page last week with the headline: “The Special (Ligue) One”. When asked if his interest was genuine, Mourinho responded: “If I say no, I will not be honest with you.” While no direct approach has been made, Genesio humbly explained: “If he is to succeed me, it is with great pride.”
Approaching Mourinho would be a departure for Aulas, who recently turned 70, as previous appointments of Gérard Houllier, Raymond Domenech, Jacques Santini, Jean Tigana, Rémi Garde and Alain Perrin all follow broadly similar lines. Mourinho could be a disastrous choice – his conservative outlook being directly opposed to a youthful, freewheeling Lyon squad – but a broadening of horizons might be worthwhile if Lyon are to achieve the career-ending success Aulas so desperately craves: to win the Champions League.
While this campaign has been solid enough and criticism Genesio has endured is largely unjust, the time may be right for Aulas to “turn the page”, as one fan banner pleaded. There is little shame in exiting Europe to Barcelona, but Lyon have also struggled against weaker Ligue 1 sides. Persisting with Genesio may have consigned Aulas’ beloved club to two more years of underachievement and running battles with fans. Although Tuesday’s Coupe de France semi-final with Rennes may represent a big step towards ending seven years without a trophy, Aulas’ announcement afterwards may leave Lyon’s “summit” beyond reach.
Talking points
• With PSG not involved in Saturday’s Coupe de la Ligue final, there was some trepidation as to how Guingamp and Strasbourg would play. The match itself was a damp squib, finishing goalless before Strasbourg won a shootout, with a poor pitch playing its part. It would be remiss not to mention Dimitri Liénard’s panenka penalty, a move that drew the ire of manager Thierry Laurey but also summed up the player’s supreme confidence, a bold ploy from a player who had not played in the top flight until last season, or professionally until the previous campaign.
• Dijon’s slide continued with a 10-man home loss to Nice. They are now bottom, nine points from safety, following Caen’s surprising win against Monaco. After the game fans were seen chasing manager Antoine Kombouaré’s car, demanding his resignation. While Kombouaré has underwhelmed, the supporters might want to direct their ire at a board who have struggled to bring in players of any quality, despite an outlay of nearly €6m, a fact underscored by the recent departures of Yoann Gourcuff and Laurent Ciman.
• PSG won 1-0 at Toulouse and will seal the title next weekend if they win and Lille do not. Leandro Paredes was particularly lacklustre and though he is still coming to terms with a new country’s style of play, his performances domestically have been decidedly underwhelming. His only contributions seem to be backwards passes and aimless shots from distance, a disheartening return given that PSG paid €40m for him. The club continue to be linked to a number of players, including Lyon’s Tanguy N’Dombélé.
Ligue 1 results
Rennes 0-1 Lyon
Marseille 2-2 Angers
Amiens 0-0 Bordeaux
Dijon 0-1 Nice
Monaco 0-1 Caen
Nantes 2-3 Lille
Toulouse 0-1 PSG