Nîmes (AFP)

Without forcing, Lyon has prepared its decisive match against Leipzig by winning at Nîmes (4-0), but the test is distorted because the Gardois were torpedoed by playing more than a half-time to nine Friday for the 17th day of the League 1.

The German club will probably not put the same aggressiveness - in the bad sense of the term - Tuesday in the Champions League, where OL also need the victory to see the knockout stages.

Rudi Garcia's team has not forced, but this success too easy is good, after the slap against Lille (1-0), and replace OL in 5th place, waiting for other matches, three points of the podium and Losc (3rd).

A Memphis Depay double, a panenka (16th) and a lightning strike (64th), then a cross shot by Houssem Aouar (71st) and a goal from defender Joachim Andersen (79th) completed the "Crocodiles" who started all alone on the back like turtles and just take ten goals in four days ...

After the terrible 6-0 in Bordeaux, they pass last, tied with Toulouse, but behind the Téfécé because of their difference in goals (-16 against -14).

Olivier Thual's arbitration exasperated the Costières stadium, but his three key decisions were validated by the video.

First the first red, from the fifth minute of play Theo Valls put his foot up to the knee of the young Lyonnais Maxence Caqueret (19 years). The contact is light but the referee did not doubt.

The mission of the gladiators Nîmes went strong from the start.

- Soft match -

Ten minutes later, the fault of Pablo Martinez Bertrand Traore is not huge, but a glutton, it has imbalanced the Burkinabe. Penalty and opening of the Lyon score.

Finally, Gaëtan Paquiez committed in two minutes two faults each costing him a yellow: a belting of Aouar (38th) then a tackle both feet forward on Rafael (40th), who came out at the break, visibly touched.

The boiling public gardois began to sing "Penalty! Penalty!" ironic, and in presidential tribune, Jean-Michel Aulas, the boss of Lyon, was made to hunt by neighbors.

The Costières rumbled again after a foul by Maxence Caqueret on Renaud Ripart (48th), claiming a second yellow - the Lyon hope had already been warned for a tackle on Lucas Buades.

For his second tenure, Caqueret (19 years) was still decisive, causing the first exclusion. He had already made a decisive pass for his debut at the 2-1 victory in Strasbourg.

The young midfielder remains one of the rare Lyon satisfactions in a soft match.

In defense, Dane Andersen, scorer late in the game, cleared the cookie cutter. And in attack, Moussa Dembélé did not weigh.

It will take much more to overthrow Leipzig.

© 2019 AFP