OL look to break out of rut in derby against Saint-Etienne

Published on 20 January 2019 at 6:00 AM by FH

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ASSE - OL : Un derby important à plus d'un titre (ce dimanche, 21h00)

Winless in Ligue 1 Conforama so far in 2019, Les Gones want to get back to winning ways and sweep the season series against their arch rivals Sunday night at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, site of last season's now legendary 5-0 blowout.

Background

Stuck in a bit of a rut, Olympique Lyonnais have more than three points to play for in Sunday's derby against Saint-Etienne. Two straight draws (1-1 against Reims and 2-2 against Toulouse) in Ligue 1 Conforama have dropped Les Gones to fourth place in the standings - behind none other than this weekend's opponent. What better place to get back to winning ways and back in the top three than at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, where OL earned a now legendary 5-0 victory.

Tifo derby

The challenge

The 118th derby will be of particular importance in terms of accounting. Beyond local bragging rights, both clubs are neck and neck in the standings, and both need three points. All too often this season, Bruno Genesio's men have let valuable points slip away, while Saint-Etienne are currently riding a three-game winning streak. Lyon are laser focused on earning their first league win 2019 and thus getting a (double) dose of confidence for the remainder of the campaign.

The opponent

Unrecognizable from previous seasons, ASSE are now a squad full of confidence under manager Jean-Louis Gasset. A completely different derby awaits Lyon this weekend at the Geoffroy Guichard compared to their last showdown there. Simply put, Les Verts have converted their stadium into a fortress, going undefeated in their last 10 home games in Ligue 1 Conforama (eight wins, twon draws). Wahbi Khazri is one of the key reasons for this. The Tunisian international is the man of the moment for Saint-Etienne, scoring 12 goals so far this season - including six in his last five minutes.