Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais faced off this Sunday at the Parc des Princes for the 8th matchday of the 2026-2027 Ligue 1 season. The encounter ended in a 2-0 victory for the Parisians. Following the match, Lyon head coach Paulo Fonseca spoke to Ligue1+.
Fonseca: “We did some good things.”
You held on for a while, but was it difficult to keep that up until the end?
Yes, it’s always very complicated to play against PSG (smiles). But tactically, we played a good match. We have the qualities to do that—though, of course, Paris also has the qualities to make the difference. I’m happy with the team’s attitude. It was hard to do much more; both offensively and defensively, we did some good things.
Was it difficult to concede that goal and then have to change your plans?
It was, especially since we didn’t have any solutions. It was hard to change anything—we were missing attacking players, and we had absences in midfield. It’s tough to make changes when you don’t have any options.
Fonseca: “We tried to create a numerical advantage in midfield.”
What about taking risks when playing out from the back? Was there an opportunity there?
To create chances against Paris, you have to take risks. We tried to create a numerical advantage in midfield. Luis Enrique also made adjustments to ensure a 4-on-4 situation, but we played well. There were many moments of pressing, and we needed the right passes to break out of those zones. We had plenty of good spells.
Fonseca: “No, we’re in a good position—considering where we started.”
Was the courage there?
Yes, I told the players that you need courage against PSG. But it’s always a difficult challenge. We had some chances. Perhaps if we had scored, things might have changed a bit.
No regrets?
No, we’re in a good position. When we started, it was hard to imagine that we’d be competing for the top spot here. We need to keep going. The main concern now is getting players back to full fitness.
