In football, Lyon has always been one of the most dominant teams in France. They have won the Coupe de la Ligue four times and the Coupe de la Coupe d'Europe twice, all while playing in Ligue 1.
However, they were unable to secure a spot in the Europa Conference League this season due to their poor form in the league. Despite having a strong squad, including star players like Kylian Mbappé and N’Golo Kante, they struggled to keep pace with the top clubs in Europe.
It was not until the summer transfer window that the team began making moves towards improving their performance. They signed several key signings, including Antoine Griezmann, who brought in a new wingback from Monaco, and Yannick Carrasco, who joined from Marseille.
With these signings, Lyon started to show signs of improvement. They won two games in the first half of the season against Nice and PSG, but then lost to Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
The Europa Conference League is a prestigious tournament that is often overlooked by many clubs. However, it is worth noting that Lyon had already made some progress in the previous season. They had beaten Real Madrid in the semi-final and also defeated Paris Saint-Germain in the final.
In order to qualify for the Europa Conference League via Ligue 1, Lyon needed to win at least six out of eight matches during the regular season. With a solid start to the campaign, they managed to reach the group stage.
However, the Europa Conference League is known for its unpredictable nature. It can be tough to predict which teams will make it past the group stages and which ones will drop off early. In the case of Lyon, they did manage to win three games during the group stage, but they lost to Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16.
Despite this setback, Lyon still managed to secure a spot in the Europa Conference League through their performances in the league. They finished second in the league and reached the quarter-finals, where they faced Real Madrid again.
In the end, Lyon's efforts paid off as they beat Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, securing a place in the Europa Conference League. The victory gave them a chance to compete for the title of European champions.
Overall, Lyon's success in the Europa Conference League highlights the importance of maintaining high levels of performance throughout the season. While they may have struggled in the early part of the campaign, their resilience and determination eventually paid off.