Olympique Lyonnais - Angers SCO Sunday at 17:05 CET (1505 GMT)

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Lyon have saved their best form this season for the Europa League, with a 2-1 aggregate victory over the unbeaten Portuguese league leaders FC Porto in the last round setting up a mouthwatering clash with English Premier League West Ham in the last eight this month. OL head to the London Stadium for the first leg this coming Thursday, before hosting the return a week later. If they manage to come through that tie against a side enjoying a fine season in England, they would play either Eintracht Frankfurt or a rejuvenated Barcelona in the semi-finals.

The excitement around these European ties is understandable, but Lyon have allowed themselves to be distracted from their domestic commitments too often this season. They cruised through the Europa League group stage with five wins and a draw in six matches. Meanwhile they sat 11th in the Ligue 1 Uber Eats table over the winter break and they have not managed to improve their situation since the turn of the year.

Highlights: Stumbling OL held by Reims

OL did have an excellent start to 2022 in the league, holding Paris Saint-Germain and then embarking on a run of three straight victories. Since then, though, they have managed just two wins in seven, taking eight points from a possible 21. That is mid-table form at best, and so they spent the international break in 10th place.

Tetê joins OL

With the gap to the podium 10 points, their dream of a return to the Champions League is dead and buried. Yet they also started April eight points away from fourth, which is a Europa League qualifying place, and six behind RC Strasbourg Alsace in fifth, the slot which carries with it a place in the UEFA Europa Conference League. It is not good enough for a club of Lyon’s standing.

Bosz’s side have also suffered damaging defeats in their last two home games, going down 1-0 to LOSC Lille and 4-2 to Stade Rennais FC, and president Jean-Michel Aulas said he understands why supporters are concerned.

“They have legitimate concerns. The team has been inconsistent at times. We are capable of the best on occasions but we could reach that level more regularly. As long as things remain possible, I am not going to start planting doubts in the minds of the players. We have a terribly important match coming up against Angers. I hope everyone gets behind the team,” said Aulas.

Highlights: Angers end losing run

He was speaking at the presentation of the 22-year-old Brazilian winger Tetê, signed until the end of the season after being allowed to leave Shakhtar Donetsk due to the war in Ukraine. The former Gremio player featured in the Champions League for Shakhtar earlier this season.

Angers struggling

Lyon are seeking revenge for a 3-0 defeat at Angers back in August, and their opponents do not arrive at the Groupama Stadium in the best form. The SCO slipped down towards the relegation zone on a disastrous run of seven consecutive defeats. However, they claimed a vital win in their last outing, defeating Stade Brestois 29 1-0 at the Stade Raymond-Kopa with a goal from Sofiane Boufal.

The match marks the return to Lyon of Gérald Baticle, who spent a decade as assistant coach at OL before taking over as number one at Angers last pre-season. He will be without the suspended Romain Thomas here but Angelo Fulgini could return.

Probable teams

Lyon: Lopes; Dubois (cap.), T.Mendes, Lukeba, Emerson; Ndombélé, Aouar; Faivre, Paqueta, Tetê; Dembélé.

Angers: Mandrea; Mendy, I.Traoré (cap.), Ebosse; Ounahi, Bentaleb, Mangani, Doumbia; Fulgini; Bahoken, Boufal.