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.

Olympique Lyon made a big move in the final week of the summer transfer window, making a $23 million splash to sign AC Milan midfielder Lucas Paqueta on a five-year contract.

Paqueta, who joined Milan from Brazilian club Flamengo in January 2019 for a $41 million fee, never quite lived up to expectations with the Italian club and will look to change his fortunes in France.

The 23-year-old Brazil international managed to score only one goal and record 4 assists in 37 Serie A matches during his season and a half with AC Milan. Once valued as one of the most highly-rated young players on Earth, Paqueta never seemed to fully adjust to the Italian game and struggled for what was an at-times dysfunctional club.

Paqueta will now look to take a big step forward on the old continent with Lyon, where he is expected to jump into a starring role with the French giants. He joins a team where he will play with 4 of his countrymen, including fellow midfielders Jean Lucas, Bruno Guimaraes, and Thiago Mendes.

Lyon’s newest star will join the 2019-20 Champions League semi-finalists in training this week ahead of their weekend clash against Marseille.

The post Lucas Paqueta Joins Lyon for $23 Million appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Bayern Munich continued its perfect run in the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League, storming past an overmatched Olympique Lyon by a 3-0 final score to reach the competition’s final.

Lyon—who had made a Cinderella run to reach the competition’s semi-final after shocking Manchester City in the quarter-finals—simply couldn’t stop Bayern’s strong attack as they bowed out on Wednesday night in Lisbon.

Despite a couple of clear chances missed by Karl Toko Ekambi for Lyon, they couldn’t get much else going against a Bayern side that took an early lead and didn’t look back.

Serge Gnabry knocked in a pair of goals in the 18th and 33rd minutes of the game to give his team a 2-0 lead. Try as Lyon did, they simply couldn’t get out of the early hole that they dug.

Robert Lewandowski’s goal to make it 3-0 in the 88th minute put any question that remained about the final result to rest, propelling the German juggernaut to the competition’s final for the first time since 2013.

Bayern will now face Paris Saint-Germain in the competition’s final on Sunday night. The game will be played at 9 pm European Standard (3 pm Eastern Standard) at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.

The post Bayern Munich Races Past Lyon 3-0 to Reach CL Final appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Champions League Round of 16 matchups are just around the corner. The first legs of this knockout round will start up next week with some high-profile games.

Let’s take a look at the pairings for this year’s edition of the Round of 16 and predict a winner for each one.

Atletico Madrid vs. Liverpool

The reigning champions of the tournament certainly didn’t get an easy draw here, as Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid are always up for a good battle.

However, with Los Colchoneros floundering without Diego Costa and Joao Felix and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool dominating any team that happens to wind up in front of them throughout this entire season, we think Liverpool will move on.

Pick: Liverpool

Borussia Dortmund vs. Paris Saint-Germain

One of the most promising Round of 16 matchups comes between Borussia Dortmund and PSG, two teams full of young stars.

Borussia Dortmund could end up escaping through if Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho give them an edge after the matchup’s first leg in Germany, but I ultimately think that the combination of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, who has never played as well as he is now, will be too much for the Dortmund defense.

Pick: PSG

Atalanta vs. Valencia

Who would have ever expected a Round of 16 tie between these two teams?

Valencia, who shocked many by winning their group in the group stage of the tournament, got a favorable draw against Atalanta in the first knockout round. Los Che have been inconsistent under Albert Celades, but we think that their quality is a bit too much for Atalanta to handle.

Pick: Valencia

Tottenham Hotspur vs. RB Leipzig

Perhaps the biggest “pick ’em” of the Round of 16 is this clash between last year’s finalists in Tottenham against RB Leipzig.

The German side might surprise many who aren’t familiar with their quality. Dani Olmo and Timo Werner will have a big chance to shine on a world stage in this tie, and we think that they will pull off the upset against a disheveled Spurs side.

Pick: RB Leipzig

Chelsea vs. Bayern Munich

Two European giants meet up in this juicy Round of 16 matchup, as Bayern will look to solidify its status as one of the tournament favorites.

Chelsea barely escaped from the group stage, and the uber-talented German champions will be out for blood. While Frank Lampard’s tenure at the Blues might be off to a promising start, we think that Bayern’s quality and experience are too much for them to handle.

Pick: Bayern Munich

Napoli vs. FC Barcelona

Barcelona meets up against Napoli in this Round of 16 matchup with some genuine upset potential.

The Catalans are still getting used to playing under new manager Quique Setien, but have shown signs of improvement lately. Leo Messi is still Leo Messi, and we think that they will move on to the next round with the help of a little bit of magic from the diminutive Argentinian.

Pick: Barcelona

Olympique Lyon vs. Juventus

After last year’s disappointing early exit at the hands of upstart Ajax, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus will look to avoid another upset at the hands of Lyon.

The Old Lady has one of world soccer’s best collections of talent, and it seems inevitable that they will cruise past their Ligue 1 opposition. Could a huge upset be in the cards, though? We doubt it.

Pick: Juventus

Real Madrid vs. Manchester City

Arguably the most intriguing Round of 16 matchup is this one between Champions League giants Real Madrid and Manchester City, the team that has been chasing this title for the better part of the past decade.

Zinedine Zidane’s Blancos got off to a slow start this season, but have taken flight over the past couple of months. Leading La Liga and getting outstanding performances from Karim Benzema and the ageless Sergio Ramos, we think that they will pull off the upset against Pep Guardiola’s Man City, which isn’t the squad it once was.

Pick: Real Madrid

The post Predicting the Champions League Round of 16 Matchups 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.

Olympique Lyon made a big move in the final week of the summer transfer window, making a $23 million splash to sign AC Milan midfielder Lucas Paqueta on a five-year contract.

Paqueta, who joined Milan from Brazilian club Flamengo in January 2019 for a $41 million fee, never quite lived up to expectations with the Italian club and will look to change his fortunes in France.

The 23-year-old Brazil international managed to score only one goal and record 4 assists in 37 Serie A matches during his season and a half with AC Milan. Once valued as one of the most highly-rated young players on Earth, Paqueta never seemed to fully adjust to the Italian game and struggled for what was an at-times dysfunctional club.

Paqueta will now look to take a big step forward on the old continent with Lyon, where he is expected to jump into a starring role with the French giants. He joins a team where he will play with 4 of his countrymen, including fellow midfielders Jean Lucas, Bruno Guimaraes, and Thiago Mendes.

Lyon’s newest star will join the 2019-20 Champions League semi-finalists in training this week ahead of their weekend clash against Marseille.

The post Lucas Paqueta Joins Lyon for $23 Million appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Bayern Munich continued its perfect run in the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League, storming past an overmatched Olympique Lyon by a 3-0 final score to reach the competition’s final.

Lyon—who had made a Cinderella run to reach the competition’s semi-final after shocking Manchester City in the quarter-finals—simply couldn’t stop Bayern’s strong attack as they bowed out on Wednesday night in Lisbon.

Despite a couple of clear chances missed by Karl Toko Ekambi for Lyon, they couldn’t get much else going against a Bayern side that took an early lead and didn’t look back.

Serge Gnabry knocked in a pair of goals in the 18th and 33rd minutes of the game to give his team a 2-0 lead. Try as Lyon did, they simply couldn’t get out of the early hole that they dug.

Robert Lewandowski’s goal to make it 3-0 in the 88th minute put any question that remained about the final result to rest, propelling the German juggernaut to the competition’s final for the first time since 2013.

Bayern will now face Paris Saint-Germain in the competition’s final on Sunday night. The game will be played at 9 pm European Standard (3 pm Eastern Standard) at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.

The post Bayern Munich Races Past Lyon 3-0 to Reach CL Final appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Champions League Round of 16 matchups are just around the corner. The first legs of this knockout round will start up next week with some high-profile games.

Let’s take a look at the pairings for this year’s edition of the Round of 16 and predict a winner for each one.

Atletico Madrid vs. Liverpool

The reigning champions of the tournament certainly didn’t get an easy draw here, as Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid are always up for a good battle.

However, with Los Colchoneros floundering without Diego Costa and Joao Felix and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool dominating any team that happens to wind up in front of them throughout this entire season, we think Liverpool will move on.

Pick: Liverpool

Borussia Dortmund vs. Paris Saint-Germain

One of the most promising Round of 16 matchups comes between Borussia Dortmund and PSG, two teams full of young stars.

Borussia Dortmund could end up escaping through if Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho give them an edge after the matchup’s first leg in Germany, but I ultimately think that the combination of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, who has never played as well as he is now, will be too much for the Dortmund defense.

Pick: PSG

Atalanta vs. Valencia

Who would have ever expected a Round of 16 tie between these two teams?

Valencia, who shocked many by winning their group in the group stage of the tournament, got a favorable draw against Atalanta in the first knockout round. Los Che have been inconsistent under Albert Celades, but we think that their quality is a bit too much for Atalanta to handle.

Pick: Valencia

Tottenham Hotspur vs. RB Leipzig

Perhaps the biggest “pick ’em” of the Round of 16 is this clash between last year’s finalists in Tottenham against RB Leipzig.

The German side might surprise many who aren’t familiar with their quality. Dani Olmo and Timo Werner will have a big chance to shine on a world stage in this tie, and we think that they will pull off the upset against a disheveled Spurs side.

Pick: RB Leipzig

Chelsea vs. Bayern Munich

Two European giants meet up in this juicy Round of 16 matchup, as Bayern will look to solidify its status as one of the tournament favorites.

Chelsea barely escaped from the group stage, and the uber-talented German champions will be out for blood. While Frank Lampard’s tenure at the Blues might be off to a promising start, we think that Bayern’s quality and experience are too much for them to handle.

Pick: Bayern Munich

Napoli vs. FC Barcelona

Barcelona meets up against Napoli in this Round of 16 matchup with some genuine upset potential.

The Catalans are still getting used to playing under new manager Quique Setien, but have shown signs of improvement lately. Leo Messi is still Leo Messi, and we think that they will move on to the next round with the help of a little bit of magic from the diminutive Argentinian.

Pick: Barcelona

Olympique Lyon vs. Juventus

After last year’s disappointing early exit at the hands of upstart Ajax, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus will look to avoid another upset at the hands of Lyon.

The Old Lady has one of world soccer’s best collections of talent, and it seems inevitable that they will cruise past their Ligue 1 opposition. Could a huge upset be in the cards, though? We doubt it.

Pick: Juventus

Real Madrid vs. Manchester City

Arguably the most intriguing Round of 16 matchup is this one between Champions League giants Real Madrid and Manchester City, the team that has been chasing this title for the better part of the past decade.

Zinedine Zidane’s Blancos got off to a slow start this season, but have taken flight over the past couple of months. Leading La Liga and getting outstanding performances from Karim Benzema and the ageless Sergio Ramos, we think that they will pull off the upset against Pep Guardiola’s Man City, which isn’t the squad it once was.

Pick: Real Madrid

The post Predicting the Champions League Round of 16 Matchups 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.