This Monday, October 25, Paris Saint-Germain (2nd) will face Olympique Lyonnais (1st) at the Parc des Princes (kick-off at 8:45 PM, CET) as part of the 8th matchday of the 2026-2027 Ligue 1 season. As is the case before every match, here is a look at the Parisians’ opponents.
Lyon’s Situation –
Lyon has recently emerged from a turbulent period, both on the pitch and in terms of club finances. Several coaches came and went—none entirely convincing—until the arrival of Paulo Fonseca in January 2025. Having been at the helm for nearly two years, his tenure is already quite long compared to those of his predecessors—this despite a multi-month suspension last season following poor conduct toward a referee.
Financially, Lyon narrowly avoided a sanction that would have resulted in relegation to Ligue 2 during the summer of 2025, having to fight hard to prevent such an administrative demotion. Consequently, the club’s transfer activity has been defined by a mix of departures and new attempts to rebuild, with remarkable work done to ensure the squad remains cohesive and competitive.
Having qualified for the Europa League this season, Lyon has made a solid start in European competition and currently sits at the top of the Ligue 1 table—ahead of four other clubs also on 14 points, including PSG—thanks to a superior goal difference.
The 2026 Summer Transfer Window –
Source: Transfermarkt.
Departures:
Arrivals:
Key statistics –
This season, Lyon ranks among the top three attacks in Ligue 1 with 13 goals scored (the leader, Rennes, has 15, while the bottom-placed teams, Troyes and Le Havre, have 5). Defensively, they are among the best, having conceded 5 goals (Lille, OL, and Paris FC share the best defensive record with 4 goals conceded, while the bottom-placed team, Auxerre, has conceded 17).
Lyon’s top scorer is Ernest Nuamah (a 23-year-old forward) with 3 goals, placing him 11th in the league (the Ligue 1 leader, Esteban Lepaul, has 7 goals). Pavel Sulc is the club’s top assist provider with 3 assists, ranking 3rd in Ligue 1 (Florian Thauvin leads with 7 assists).
Lyon’s last 5 matches –
Only Lyon’s possession percentage is shown, and Lyon’s shot statistics are listed first (where data is available).
19/03/2026 (Ligue 1) – Lyon vs. Rennes: 4-0. Formation: 4-2-3-1. 45% possession. 15 shots (9 on target) vs. 13 shots (8 on target).
09/10/2026 (Ligue 1) – Lens (down to 10 men in the 84th minute, at 2-0) vs. Lyon: 2-1. Formation: 4-3-3. 52% possession. 13 shots (5 on target) vs. 15 shots (7 on target).
15/10/2026 (Europa League) – Lyon vs. Crystal Palace: 3-2. Formation: 4-3-1-2. 50% possession. 11 shots (4 on target) vs. 12 shots (4 on target).
18/10/2026 (Ligue 1) – Lyon (down to 10 men in the 70th minute, at 2-1) vs. Nice: 2-1. Formation: 4-2-3-1. 48% possession. 8 shots (4 on target) vs. 12 shots (5 on target).
22/10/2026 (Europa League) – Hoffenheim vs. Lyon: 2-0. Playing a 4-2-3-1 formation. 53% possession. 6 shots, 2 on target, compared to 10 shots (6 on target). (A streak of 6 consecutive defeats).
The Lyon squad:
Out – Kango, Ouédraogo, Openda, Sulc, Tagliagico (injury), Nakamura (suspension)
Probable lineup in a 4-3-3 formation:
Duranville – Merah – Nuamah
Tolisso – Morton – Tessmann
Abner – Niakhaté – Bacher – Athekame
Greif
Substitutes: Bengui, Descamps, Kluivert, Mata, Bidstrup, Nartey, Boudache, Gomes Rodriguez, Himber
Lyon’s style of play:
Generally attacking, Olympique Lyonnais has, however, lacked a bit of defensive solidity of late. The philosophy remains to play proactive football, rather than sitting in a low block and waiting to counter-attack. This might change—at least for certain spells—against PSG. Coach Paulo Fonseca is also quite capable of employing an intense high press to unsettle the Parisians.
