Lyon (AFP)

A failed entry in the Champions League against Zenit Saint-Petersburg (1-1) and a series of four games without a win after two successes in trompe l'oeil: the Brazilian coach Lyon Sylvinho is already raising questions about his ability to lead OL to the heights.

The state of grace of the Brazilian revolution led by the former idol of the club, the Brazilian Juninho, appointed sports director, is already finished. And this, while the schedule promises sweat in the coming weeks, with the Paris SG Sunday at home, a trip to Leipzig in C1 in 15 days followed by another four days later, perilous, in Saint-Etienne for the derby.

His arrival coupled with that of Sylvinho, the first foreign technician at Olympique Lyonnais since the Serbian Vladimir Kovacevic in the early 1980s (November 1981-February 1983), had at least helped to ease relations with ultra groups of supporters who demanded the departure of coach Bruno Genesio (January 2016-2019).

The latter was hated by this fringe of the public for his incompetence and his supposed image deficit. However, during his mission, OL still finished 2nd (2016), 3rd (2018, 2019), 4th (2017, a year marked by a semi-final in the Europa League.

Lyon also participated in a knockout round of the Champions League against Barcelona (0-0, 5-1).

It's up to Sylvinho and Juninho, novices at the posts they occupy, to do at least as well with a stadium that could quickly show his wrath again.

- Soup with a grimace -

For showgoers, it is rather the soup to the grimace with intermittent performances, a collective game that struggles to put in place and an athletic level that challenges.

This summer, the friendly matches had been disappointing, and the success achieved on 28 July against Arsenal (2-1) did not do a favor to OL who should have lost after a first catastrophic period.

The analysis would have been different then while the deficiencies found that day were confirmed against Liverpool and Bournemouth, winners 3-1 and 3-0.

Juninho had also sounded the alarm after these two meetings but again, the victories in Monaco (3-0), the worst defense of the championship, and on Angers (6-0), relieved 48 hours earlier by Lyon's best player, Jeff Queen-Adelaide, have been pretense.

For now, OL have won only three of the eleven matches he has played since the resumption in July.

In addition to the performances of the Lyon team, it is the findings drawn by Sylvinho that seem disconcerting.

"Given the difficulty of this group, it's good to draw a draw," he said in a press conference Tuesday. But the Zenit seemed a pale preview before the two displacements looming, on October 2 in Leipzig - which made a strong impression by winning away against Benfica (2-1) - and the October 23 in Lisbon.

- Questionable coaching -

The Brazilian technician, whose coaching is questionable, evokes the lack of experience of his players but the club is European every year since 1997 and can rely on an undeniable experience.

Many players were already present last season and if Lyon sold well (132 M EUR for Mendy, Ndombele, Fekir), he also spent as never for his recruitment (94 M EUR).

But have not all these changes weakened an OL with a budget of EUR 300 million, the biggest of its history? Especially since some findings made by Genesio on the concentration of players or the balance of the team, still fragile defensively, remain relevant.

"We build a team and it takes time, it is improving, we are progressing little by little," Sylvinho said, admitting, however, that "you need to be brighter".

"I'm still looking for the ideal system for this to work," he said, as Lyon prepares to host the PSG, champion and leader of the L1, and that the derby in Saint-Etienne is already looming , after a first dangerous trip to Leipzig in C1.

Time is running out for Sylvinho, who may not have that much anymore.

© 2019 AFP