Pierre Sage has done a remarkable job to get Olympique Lyonnais to Europe this season after it looked like Les Gones were going to struggle to stay in Ligue 1 Uber Eats. One key aspect has been Lyon's capacity to bounce-back from tricky situations, having now amassed a total of 27 points from a losing position this season - with only Liverpool and Girona having done better in the 2023-2024 campaign. Here are five matches where Lyon have triumphed as comeback kings this season:
Lille 3-4 Olympique Lyonnais
Sage's side had to face a tricky trip to Stade Pierre-Mauroy to face a Champions League-challenging Lille side. The hosts would take the lead twice, but goals from Saïd Benrahma, Malick Fofana, Alex Lacazette, and Mama Baldé saw Les Gones complete a huge comeback at the start of May.
Olympique Lyonnais 4-3 Stade Brestois
Eric Roy's buccaneering Pirates looked to have plundered the Groupama Stadium for three points when Brest took a 3-1 lead over Lyon on home turf. Yet, goals from Lacazette (70'), Tagliafico (79'), and an injury time penalty from Ainsley Maitland-Niles (90+15') sealed a hugely symbolic three points which saw Les Gones rise to 7th position in Ligue 1 in Mid-April.
Olympique Lyonnais 3-2 AS Monaco
The eventual second-place finishers AS Monaco visited the Groupama Stadium at the end of April hoping to solidify their position behind Paris Saint-Germain in the Ligue 1 Uber Eats table. Les Monégasques began well, opening the scoring and even taking the lead twice thanks to a double via Wissam Ben Yedder. Yet, goals via Lacazette, Benrahma, and Fofana saw OL take the lead late on into the game.
Nantes 1-3 Olympique Lyonnais
Travelling to an empty Stade de la Beaujoire to face an FC Nantes side fighting for survival in Ligue 1, Lyon managed to come back from a one-goal lead via Lacazette, Fofana, and a 90+7 effort from Gift Orban in early April to seal a vital three points to push Sage's side up the Ligue 1 table.
Olympique Lyonnais 2-1 Strasbourg
After being held by Strasbourg in the second half following Lacazette's opener in the 40th minute, Les Alsatiens looked like they would take the lead from the penalty spot late on - but Emmanuel Emegha's strike hit the woodwork. It opened up a chance for Lyon to finally take the lead in the dying seconds of the game, and none other than Lacazette stepped up to take the winning penalty in the 96th minute to take Les Lyonnais to the Europa League.