Lyon
Lyon are returning to the Emirates Cup for their second time, after the Ligue 1 side finished as runners-up back in 2010.
- Saturday 25th: Lyon v Arsenal (16:20)
- Sunday 26th: Â Lyon v Villarreal (14:00)
Team News
Lyon may wish to play the tournament without Nabil Ferik, as they get used to life without the midfielder following his recent suspension.
The 22-year-old won’t be back in contention until mid-August which leaves a perfect opportunity for manager, Hubert Fournier, to pick apart his options.
Other than that, Lyon currently have no injuries to deal with, leaving them with a brilliant chance of fielding decent sides on both days.
Player To Watch: Alexandre Lacazette
It seems as if this was a plan conjured up by Wenger all along, and now Arsenal fans will finally get to see Lacazette in action on the Emirates pitch.
The striker has been heavily linked with a move to the Gunners throughout this summers transfer window, and now we get to see what all the fuss has been about.
At just 24 years old, Lacazette topped the Ligue 1 goal standings for last season, as he hit home 27 goals to help his side to yet another Champions League qualification.
The future of the Frenchman is still undecided, and this weekend could act like a trial period for the forward, who recently mentioned that money was no issue to change his future.
What Can We Expect From Them?
Ultimately this is a side that has been carried by Lacazette all season, and we’re in for a familiar story during this weekends fixtures.
Lyon enjoyed a brilliant end to their campaign, securing automatic Champions League qualification in the process, but since then things haven’t picked up.
So far they have suffered defeats to both PSV Eindhoven and FC Sion, and things are only going to get tougher as they face on two top level European sides.
With that poor run of form in mind, the French outfit will most likely start off the tournament by ensuring there are no early mistakes, which could be bad news for the Gunners.
Ultimately, we can expect Fournier’s men to sit back and invite pressure, using the options of Lacazette and Clement Grenier to deliver a counter attacking style of play.
Lyon won’t be going for anything spectacular this weekend, they have few fans attending the tournament and will simply want to find their structure ahead of the new campaign.
For those reasons plus the attacking pressure of Arsenal, it could be a standstill afternoon for this fixture, but if Lyon are broken down, it could spell serious trouble. Click the next page number below to see Wolfsburg’s preview.Â