Lyonnais vs Sevilla - Gonalons confident Lyon can reach Champions League last 16

Posted Wednesday, December 07, 2016 by PA

Lyon captain Maxime Gonalons claims his side has nothing to lose as they bid to qualify for the Champions League knockout phase by beating Sevilla by two clear goals in their final Group H match.

The French side appeared odds-on to finish third with two games remaining, but their win in Zagreb last time out coupled with Sevilla's home defeat to leaders Juventus has left everything to play for at the Stade de Lyon on Wednesday night.

Victory by anything less than two clear goals will mean Sevilla will pip Lyon on goal difference, but Gonalons believes Bruno Genesio's side has gained enough big-match experience in recent years to snatch second place.

"The league match against Monaco last season was a crunch game and a perfect example," Gonalons told UEFA.com.

"It's a different competition here and we don't have much to lose. Before Juventus away we had very little hope of qualifying and now we have our destiny in our own hands. As a footballer you live for these moments."

Lyon needed to beat Monaco in their final home game in Ligue 1 last season to snatch the second automatic Champions League slot behind Paris St German and won 6-1.

"We have no choice," Gonalons added. "We need to win by two clear goals and we'll have to play our football and carry the fans in the stadium along with us.

"We need to provoke the same atmosphere that we had against PSG and Monaco in the league here in the second half of last season."

Genesio will be without injured trio Emanuel Mammana, Lucas Mocio and Christophe Jallet, while goalkeeper Anthony Lopes is doubtful after being hit by a firecracker in Saturday's game at Metz.

Lopes was taken to hospital and after an hour's delay the Ligue 1 fixture was abandoned.

"We'll have to see how Anthony reacts to training and what sort of night he has," Genesio said.

"He's had real trouble sleeping since Saturday and sleep is a key element to recovery."

Sevilla, still third in LaLiga despite Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Granada, have been boosted by the timely return to contention of Samir Nasri, who has been sidelined for a month with a thigh injury.

Defender Sergio Escudero is also back in the squad after missing out at the weekend due to a muscle strain, but Sevilla boss Jorge Sampaoli will be without suspended forward Franco Vazquez.

Sevilla club president Jose Castro spelled out what was at stake for the Andalusians before flying to Lyon to attend the game.

"It's the most important match because we can qualify for the last 16," Castro told the club's official website.

"We deserve to be already qualified, but football is like that and we have to go to Lyon to finish certifying our qualification.

"We have to play it as a final. We just have to think about winning.

"The most important thing is prestige, but the economic issue is also important, but our goal this season was always to reach as far as possible in this competition."