Manchester United

There are silences that no mistaking. The three pillars of Olympique Lyon, Gregory Coupet, Juninho and Cris, usually so quick to deliver their impressions at the end of the match, shunned the meeting for questions and answers with the press that followed the defeat facing Manchester United (1-0), Tuesday, March 4. Not a word of those players "framework" on the evening they came to live at 75000 football lovers gathered at Old Trafford, the stadium-Cathedral of Red Devils (the "red devils"). No comment "tauliers" OL short on this defeat meant elimination of the Champions League. At the final whistle, the keeper of Lyons, his Brazilian midfielder and defender income of injury had too many regrets in mind for a look neutral on this new setback sextuple European champion France. For the second consecutive year, OL fails 8th finals of the Champions League. The three previous seasons, the champion of France had been reset in the quarter-finals. But, unlike last year, when Lyon went completely beside the meeting, Gerland stadium beaten (2-0) by a team of AS Roma much stronger than him, the club french n ' a deal worth in Manchester. Potentially eliminated after going zero of the match (1-1), Feb. 20 at Gerland, Lyon had the dual obligation to mark at Old Trafford - Manchester United where accumulated before the beginning of the encounter nine wins in a row at home Champions League - and n'encaisser no purpose. A pipe dream when we know the effectiveness of mancuniens attackers. "At Old Trafford, Manchester United always fond attack had warned Patrice Evra, the defender of french Red Devils. Entry There is a big pressure on the opponent. Must be very hard to resist." Players Alain Perrin have managed to do so nearly a half-time before a cafouillage of Defence Lyon at the 41st minute only ruin the efforts of the OL and allowing Cristiano Ronaldo to score his 30th goal of the season. In the second period, new thrills toured the spans of Old Trafford, when the attacker Ivorian OL, Kader Keita, hit on the post of mancunien doorman. This goal before the break, then let the pole "some regrets" the coach of Lyon. "We missed this little success factor in our offensive actions, regretted Alain Perrin. Assessing the two matches shows the importance of goal by Carlos Tevez in the last three minutes to go. This one Manchester who qualifies. " With this victory over Lyon, for a total of ten success in a row at home in Champions League, Mancuniens equals the record that only Juventus Turin held so far. Qualification for the quarter-finals, Manchester can now dream to repeat his tripled from 1999 (league, FA Cup and England Champions League). Lyon, however, must "turn the page" as soon as possible and "digest in order to concentrate on the objectives it (him) remains", in the words of Alain Perrin. The first of these goals is to once again win the championship of France. The path to a seventh title seemed reached in mid-season. But the Girondins de Bordeaux went on the road. Now three points behind the leader Lyon, the team of Laurent Blanc, who knocked off PSG (3-0) on March 2, could create surprises at the 28th day of Ligue 1: the meeting between Lyon and Bordeaux, Sunday, March 9 at Gerland, is positively final prior to the time of the championship. "It is in a difficult situation, should Jérémy Toulalan, the middle recuperator Lyonnais. Against Bordeaux, I fear fatigue. Costs will be in a good momentum. They are less well in the game, but they win." "We must win against Bordeaux and the 8th finals of the French Cup against Sochaux" on March 18, said Jean-Michel Aulas. Despite good marks awarded to his coach and his players, the president of the OL had a hard time too, to conceal his disappointment Tuesday night.