This tie is a first in Champions League history that pits two french teams against each other in the quarter-finals. It is fitting that these two teams were paired together. Lyon knocked out Real Madrid and could potentially knock out other big name opponents. They were a team that others wanted to avoid if possible. Bordeaux on the other hand was probably the team that the big guns would have loved to be paired with.
Even though Bordeaux is the team that most of the other teams would have wanted to play they are sitting at the top of Ligue 1 in France. Five points clear of their Champions League opponents. Bordeaux cruised through the group stage with 5 wins and 1 draw. These included wins over Juventus and Bayern Munich. Bordeaux will be relying on playmaker Yoann Gourcuff. I recently heard him being described as 'Zidane from the waist down'. He is a quality player and scored a stunner against Olympiakos in the second leg of the tie. Up top is Arsenal transfer rumor favorite Marouane Chamakh. He rounded out the scoring in the same leg of the Olympiakos tie and currently is leading Bordeaux in goals with 9 in Ligue 1. He also has the confidence of knowing that he has already scored against Lyon once this season when the two met last December.
Lyon are currently sitting 6th in Ligue 1. Not exactly a position you would think of a team that knocked out Real Madrid. Remember that Lyon are usually perennial challengers in this tournament. Although recent times have not yielded that good of results they are still a team that is capable (obviously) of raining on a top team's parade. Lisandro Lopez will be the main threat to Bordeaux's back line. He is one of the top scorers in Ligue 1 and will be a constant threat. The center back pairing of Boumsong and Cris did bend against Real Madrid. In fact, it was a post away from being shattered. They will have to be much sharper against Bordeaux if they are to advance.
These teams will really get a chance to know each other since they will have to play each other three times in a little more than two weeks. This match is played on Tuesday, March 30, 2010 with the winner moving on to the semi-finals against either Baynern Munich or Manchester United.
Even though Bordeaux is the team that most of the other teams would have wanted to play they are sitting at the top of Ligue 1 in France. Five points clear of their Champions League opponents. Bordeaux cruised through the group stage with 5 wins and 1 draw. These included wins over Juventus and Bayern Munich. Bordeaux will be relying on playmaker Yoann Gourcuff. I recently heard him being described as 'Zidane from the waist down'. He is a quality player and scored a stunner against Olympiakos in the second leg of the tie. Up top is Arsenal transfer rumor favorite Marouane Chamakh. He rounded out the scoring in the same leg of the Olympiakos tie and currently is leading Bordeaux in goals with 9 in Ligue 1. He also has the confidence of knowing that he has already scored against Lyon once this season when the two met last December.
Lyon are currently sitting 6th in Ligue 1. Not exactly a position you would think of a team that knocked out Real Madrid. Remember that Lyon are usually perennial challengers in this tournament. Although recent times have not yielded that good of results they are still a team that is capable (obviously) of raining on a top team's parade. Lisandro Lopez will be the main threat to Bordeaux's back line. He is one of the top scorers in Ligue 1 and will be a constant threat. The center back pairing of Boumsong and Cris did bend against Real Madrid. In fact, it was a post away from being shattered. They will have to be much sharper against Bordeaux if they are to advance.
These teams will really get a chance to know each other since they will have to play each other three times in a little more than two weeks. This match is played on Tuesday, March 30, 2010 with the winner moving on to the semi-finals against either Baynern Munich or Manchester United.
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