Lyon boss Paulo Fonseca offers PAOK condolences as Europa League clash is overshadowed by tragedy

As Lyon prepare to bring the curtain down on the league phase of their European campaign against PAOK at the Groupama Stadium on Thursday night, head coach Paulo Fonseca could be forgiven for wondering whether the glass is half full or half empty.

On the one hand, qualification for the last 16 is secure regardless of the outcome against the Greek visitors. Lyon are top of the Europa League standings, clear of Aston Villa on goal difference, and cannot be displaced from the top eight positions.

The Ligue 1 club is also on a tear, with five straight wins across three different competitions since the turn of the year. Endrick is on fire, the Brazil international having delivered four goals and an assist in three games since his arrival on loan from Real Madrid last month. Lyon are fourth in the league and climbing. Times are good.

Paulo Fonseca: Lyon ‘don’t have a striker’ to face PAOK

Yet circumstances are everything in football. Lyon will go into the game with a host of absentees. Midfielders Corentin Tolisso and Orel Mangala are injured. Czech forward Pavel Sulc, the club’s top scorer, is also out, as is Algeria international Rachid Ghezzal. Worse still, both Endrick and new signing Noah Nartey are ineligible due to rules precluding the involvement of new arrivals before the knockout phase. 

“We don’t have a striker, but we’ve found one in the reserves,” said Fonseca. “Rémi Himbert will start tomorrow.”

The 17-year-old Himbert has made just two senior appearances for the club.

In a wider sense, however, none of it matters.

Fonseca: ‘I am truly sorry for the tragedy that has struck PAOK’

The game has been overshadowed by the tragic deaths of seven PAOK supporters whose minibus was involved in a head-on collision with a truck in Romania as they travelled to the game. Three more fans remain seriously injured, and Fonseca’s first thought as he looked ahead to the match was for those affected.

“I am truly sorry for the tragedy that has struck PAOK,” he said. “Football ceases to exist when there is such a tragedy. We are all devastated, I offer my sincerest condolences, we are very sad.”

Looking beyond the backdrop to the match, Fonseca added that Lyon hoped to retain their advantage over Villa and qualify in top position.

“Our main goal is to finish among the top eight teams in the tournament at the end of the group stage,” said the Portuguese. “That has been our primary aim since the start of the season. We know we can finish first, and we want to achieve that.”