Alexandre Lacazette has returned to Lyon, signing a three-year deal with the club. This comes after the striker’s five-year contract with the Premier League team Arsenal lapsed at the end of the season.

Prior to his contract’s expiry, Lacazette revealed that he was in talks with multiple clubs about a potential move, thereby hinting that his time with the Gunners was coming to an end. It is believed that the French international’s decision to leave was initially sparked by his desire to play for a team that is competing in the UEFA Champions League. Arsenal finished in fifth place in the Premier League this season, thereby narrowly missing out on a Champions League spot.

A statement by Lyon on Lacazette’s return to the club read as follows: “Lacazette’s return to the club, having played more than 200 times for Arsenal over the course of five seasons [71 goals] has been the club’s priority for many months and he fits in perfectly with the environment and the new strategy that the institution wishes to put into place.”

During his time at Arsenal, Lacazette won both the FA Cup and the Community Shield. He was the club’s top scorer in the 2017-18 and 2020-21 seasons and has made it into the club’s top 10 Premier League all-time scorers’ charts.

The post Lacazette Returns to Lyon on Free Transfer appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Wednesday night’s Champions League group stage matches saw a whole host of Europe’s finest looking to earn their place in the knockout phases.

In the evening’s most high-profile clash, Chelsea upset Ajax at home with a narrow 1-0 victory. While the game looked set to end in a deadlock, substitute Michy Batshuayi fired home an unlikely winner in the 86th minute. In Group H’s other match, Valencia tied 1-1 with Lille to remain in third place.

Yet another much-anticipated clash was that between Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund. This hard-fought clash resulted in a valuable 2-0 win for Inter, who also has the threatening FC Barcelona in their group. Barcelona remains on top of Group F with a 2-1 win against Slavia Praha.

Moving onto Group E, and Liverpool continue their fine form this season with a 4-1 away win against Genk. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s outstanding performance resulted in a brace, while Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah each grabbed a goal apiece. They remain in second place, however, as group leaders Napoli retain top spot following a 3-2 win over Red Bull Salzburg.

Finally, the Group G clash between Benfica and Lyon ended in a 2-1 win for Benfica. This result came as a surprise considering Lyon’s dominance of the gameplay. These sides are 4th and 3rd place respectively, however, as Red Bull Leipzig leapfrogged Lyon and Zenit to grab first place. This comes as a consequence of their 2-1 victory over Zenit.

The post Chelsea, Liverpool, and Barca Triumph in Latest Champions League Action appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Olympique Lyon has decided to send out one of its youngest players on loan to gain experience at the club from which he was signed.

Celta Vigo, the La Liga outfit with which Cheikh was formed as a youth player and with which he made his professional debut, will acquire the 21-year-old midfielder on loan for the 2019-20 season. The Galician team will also have a $10 million purchase option if they want to retain the midfielder on a permanent deal after the season is over.

Cheikh was considered one of the top young prospects in European soccer in the summer of 2017 when he made the move from Celta to Lyon. The French outfit beat out other European giants such as Tottenham Hotspur for the Senegal-born player’s services.

Celta had been looking to add another player to its midfield going into the season, as they look to improve on a disappointing 2018-19 campaign that saw them finish in 17th in La Liga. Cheikh’s arrival means that Celta has signed three club youth products (Cheikh, Denis Suárez, and Santi Mina) in what has been an exciting summer transfer window for them.

Cheikh will now have the opportunity to grow and develop in Vigo, a place where he developed into one of the hottest young midfielders in the game.

The post Midfielder Pape Cheikh Joins Celta Vigo on Loan from Lyon appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It seemed like Liverpool needed a victory to boost their morale and get in the right mood for the start of the season. This victory came in a club-friendly match against the French club Lyon. The great friendly match at the Stade de Geneve, even though not spectacular, provided the fans with a very interesting game just before the start of the next season.  

Both teams gave a solid performance with Liverpool dominating the field which proved rewarding as they came out victorious over Lyon with a final score of 3-1. The first half time started great for the French team as Memphis Depay was awarded a penalty shot in the 4^th minute of the match, which he managed to score.  

But tides soon started to change and Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino scored a goal in the 17^th minute of the first half, making the score even. Just four minutes later, Joachim Andersen managed to give Liverpool the lead after scoring a goal in the 21^st minute.

The first half time ended with Liverpool leading with 2-1. During the second halftime, Harry Wilson scored a goal in the 53^rd minute, securing Liverpool’s victory. 

The post Liverpool Beats Lyon 3-1 In a Friendly Match appeared first on SportzBonanza.

FC Barcelona had no trouble dispatching Olympique Lyon on Wednesday night at the Camp Nou, routing the French side 5-1 and advancing to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

The reigning La Liga champions were surprisingly held to a 0-0 draw by Lyon in the first leg of their Round of 16 draw, but Barça quickly rested any doubts about their team in a comfortable win.

The scoring was opened by Lionel Messi, who ended up with two goals on the night. He gave Barcelona the lead that they wouldn’t relinquish on a penalty kick.

Messi also beat Lyon keeper Anthony Lopes in the 78th minute for his second goal on the night.

Also on the scoresheet for Barcelona last night were Ousmane Dembele, Gerard Pique, and Philippe Coutinho, each of whom contributed a goal of their own.

The lone goal for Lyon on the night was scored by Lucas Tousart, but the French squad was unable to do more.

Barcelona controlled the game all night and cruised to the quarter-finals.

They will find out their opponent in the next round in the Champions League draw on Friday morning.

The post Barcelona Cruises Past Lyon to Reach Champions League Quarter-Finals appeared first on SportzBonanza.

A result that surprised many soccer fans was Olympique Lyon’s 0-0 draw with FC Barcelona on Tuesday night.

Barcelona, one of the best and most star-studded teams in the world, was favored to win the match despite the game being played in Lyon at the Groupama Stadium.

Despite enjoying lots of chances to score goals, bad luck and Lyon keeper Anthony Lopes frustrated Barcelona and kept them from scoring any goals.

Lyon also had its chances to score, but its two clearest chances, both of which came early in the first half, were saves after magnificent interventions by Barcelona keeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen.

Despite the surprising draw, Barcelona still remains in an advantageous position to advance to the next knockout round of the Champions League.

The second leg of the draw will be played at the Camp Nou in Barcelona on Wednesday, March 13th.

Lyon returns to action on Sunday against Monaco, while Barcelona has to travel to Sevilla in a key La Liga matchup on Sunday.

The post Lyon Draws Barcelona 0-0 in Champions League Matchup appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Alexandre Lacazette has returned to Lyon, signing a three-year deal with the club. This comes after the striker’s five-year contract with the Premier League team Arsenal lapsed at the end of the season.

Prior to his contract’s expiry, Lacazette revealed that he was in talks with multiple clubs about a potential move, thereby hinting that his time with the Gunners was coming to an end. It is believed that the French international’s decision to leave was initially sparked by his desire to play for a team that is competing in the UEFA Champions League. Arsenal finished in fifth place in the Premier League this season, thereby narrowly missing out on a Champions League spot.

A statement by Lyon on Lacazette’s return to the club read as follows: “Lacazette’s return to the club, having played more than 200 times for Arsenal over the course of five seasons [71 goals] has been the club’s priority for many months and he fits in perfectly with the environment and the new strategy that the institution wishes to put into place.”

During his time at Arsenal, Lacazette won both the FA Cup and the Community Shield. He was the club’s top scorer in the 2017-18 and 2020-21 seasons and has made it into the club’s top 10 Premier League all-time scorers’ charts.

The post Lacazette Returns to Lyon on Free Transfer appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Wednesday night’s Champions League group stage matches saw a whole host of Europe’s finest looking to earn their place in the knockout phases.

In the evening’s most high-profile clash, Chelsea upset Ajax at home with a narrow 1-0 victory. While the game looked set to end in a deadlock, substitute Michy Batshuayi fired home an unlikely winner in the 86th minute. In Group H’s other match, Valencia tied 1-1 with Lille to remain in third place.

Yet another much-anticipated clash was that between Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund. This hard-fought clash resulted in a valuable 2-0 win for Inter, who also has the threatening FC Barcelona in their group. Barcelona remains on top of Group F with a 2-1 win against Slavia Praha.

Moving onto Group E, and Liverpool continue their fine form this season with a 4-1 away win against Genk. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s outstanding performance resulted in a brace, while Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah each grabbed a goal apiece. They remain in second place, however, as group leaders Napoli retain top spot following a 3-2 win over Red Bull Salzburg.

Finally, the Group G clash between Benfica and Lyon ended in a 2-1 win for Benfica. This result came as a surprise considering Lyon’s dominance of the gameplay. These sides are 4th and 3rd place respectively, however, as Red Bull Leipzig leapfrogged Lyon and Zenit to grab first place. This comes as a consequence of their 2-1 victory over Zenit.

The post Chelsea, Liverpool, and Barca Triumph in Latest Champions League Action appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Olympique Lyon has decided to send out one of its youngest players on loan to gain experience at the club from which he was signed.

Celta Vigo, the La Liga outfit with which Cheikh was formed as a youth player and with which he made his professional debut, will acquire the 21-year-old midfielder on loan for the 2019-20 season. The Galician team will also have a $10 million purchase option if they want to retain the midfielder on a permanent deal after the season is over.

Cheikh was considered one of the top young prospects in European soccer in the summer of 2017 when he made the move from Celta to Lyon. The French outfit beat out other European giants such as Tottenham Hotspur for the Senegal-born player’s services.

Celta had been looking to add another player to its midfield going into the season, as they look to improve on a disappointing 2018-19 campaign that saw them finish in 17th in La Liga. Cheikh’s arrival means that Celta has signed three club youth products (Cheikh, Denis Suárez, and Santi Mina) in what has been an exciting summer transfer window for them.

Cheikh will now have the opportunity to grow and develop in Vigo, a place where he developed into one of the hottest young midfielders in the game.

The post Midfielder Pape Cheikh Joins Celta Vigo on Loan from Lyon appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It seemed like Liverpool needed a victory to boost their morale and get in the right mood for the start of the season. This victory came in a club-friendly match against the French club Lyon. The great friendly match at the Stade de Geneve, even though not spectacular, provided the fans with a very interesting game just before the start of the next season.  

Both teams gave a solid performance with Liverpool dominating the field which proved rewarding as they came out victorious over Lyon with a final score of 3-1. The first half time started great for the French team as Memphis Depay was awarded a penalty shot in the 4^th minute of the match, which he managed to score.  

But tides soon started to change and Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino scored a goal in the 17^th minute of the first half, making the score even. Just four minutes later, Joachim Andersen managed to give Liverpool the lead after scoring a goal in the 21^st minute.

The first half time ended with Liverpool leading with 2-1. During the second halftime, Harry Wilson scored a goal in the 53^rd minute, securing Liverpool’s victory. 

The post Liverpool Beats Lyon 3-1 In a Friendly Match appeared first on SportzBonanza.

FC Barcelona had no trouble dispatching Olympique Lyon on Wednesday night at the Camp Nou, routing the French side 5-1 and advancing to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

The reigning La Liga champions were surprisingly held to a 0-0 draw by Lyon in the first leg of their Round of 16 draw, but Barça quickly rested any doubts about their team in a comfortable win.

The scoring was opened by Lionel Messi, who ended up with two goals on the night. He gave Barcelona the lead that they wouldn’t relinquish on a penalty kick.

Messi also beat Lyon keeper Anthony Lopes in the 78th minute for his second goal on the night.

Also on the scoresheet for Barcelona last night were Ousmane Dembele, Gerard Pique, and Philippe Coutinho, each of whom contributed a goal of their own.

The lone goal for Lyon on the night was scored by Lucas Tousart, but the French squad was unable to do more.

Barcelona controlled the game all night and cruised to the quarter-finals.

They will find out their opponent in the next round in the Champions League draw on Friday morning.

The post Barcelona Cruises Past Lyon to Reach Champions League Quarter-Finals appeared first on SportzBonanza.

A result that surprised many soccer fans was Olympique Lyon’s 0-0 draw with FC Barcelona on Tuesday night.

Barcelona, one of the best and most star-studded teams in the world, was favored to win the match despite the game being played in Lyon at the Groupama Stadium.

Despite enjoying lots of chances to score goals, bad luck and Lyon keeper Anthony Lopes frustrated Barcelona and kept them from scoring any goals.

Lyon also had its chances to score, but its two clearest chances, both of which came early in the first half, were saves after magnificent interventions by Barcelona keeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen.

Despite the surprising draw, Barcelona still remains in an advantageous position to advance to the next knockout round of the Champions League.

The second leg of the draw will be played at the Camp Nou in Barcelona on Wednesday, March 13th.

Lyon returns to action on Sunday against Monaco, while Barcelona has to travel to Sevilla in a key La Liga matchup on Sunday.

The post Lyon Draws Barcelona 0-0 in Champions League Matchup appeared first on SportzBonanza.