OL faces Sparta Prague: the weight of three summer European failures
After losing 1-2 to Sparta Prague in the first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round, Olympique Lyonnais must turn the tide this Tuesday (21:00) in the return match. The French side carries the burden of three previous summer European setbacks that still haunt the club.
Securing a victory over Sparta Prague would not only advance Lyon to the next round but could also mark the end of a painful summer tradition. A win would allow the team to focus on the playoffs against either Fenerbahçe or Sturm Graz on August 18-19 and 25-26. Historically, the club has struggled in these early European fixtures, particularly when domestic form doesn’t translate to continental success.
August 1999: humiliation against Maribor
Fresh off signing Brazilian striker Sonny Anderson from FC Barcelona for 125 million Francs (€18M) — a record fee at the time — Lyon entered the Champions League for the first time in their history. However, their debut campaign quickly turned into a disaster. Under manager Bernard Lacombe, Lyon lost the first leg at home 0-1 to Slovenia’s NK Maribor, conceding a late goal in the 89th minute despite dominating play. The return match in Maribor on August 25 was even more disastrous, with Lyon collapsing 0-2, surrendering goals to Simundza and Balajic. The team, featuring stars like Tony Vairelles, Alain Caveglia, Vikash Dhorasoo, and Grégory Coupet, was humiliated in a performance described by L’Équipe as the “summer flop.”
Relegated to the UEFA Cup, Lyon was eliminated in the Round of 16 by Werder Bremen (0-4, 3-0) after overcoming HJK Helsinki and Celtic Glasgow. Domestically, Lyon finished third in Ligue 1 in May 2000, with early exits in both the Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue.
August 2013: Griezmann’s revenge
By August 2013, Lyon had grown into a powerhouse, having won seven Ligue 1 titles (2002-2008) and reached a Champions League semifinal in 2010. However, the club’s summer European struggles persisted. After eliminating Grasshopper Zurich in the third qualifying round, Lyon faced Real Sociedad in the playoffs. Antoine Griezmann, who had been deemed too frail for Lyon’s youth academy years earlier, delivered a masterclass. He scored the opener at home on August 20 with a spectacular left-footed volley, and Real Sociedad won 2-0. The return leg in San Sebastián was just as painful, with Lyon losing 0-2 to a Carlos Vela brace, despite fielding a lineup including Samuel Umtiti, Yoann Gourcuff, Alexandre Lacazette, and Nabil Fekir.
Relegated to the Europa League, Lyon reached the quarterfinals before falling to Juventus. The club finished fifth in Ligue 1, bowed out in the Coupe de France Round of 16, and lost the Coupe de la Ligue final to Paris Saint-Germain (1-2).
August 2014: the Astra Giurgiu debacle
In August 2014, Lyon’s European campaign ended in farce. Bernard Lacombe, then vice-president, famously lamented, “We got destroyed by a bunch of nobodies we didn’t even know.” The club was eliminated by Romania’s Astra Giurgiu in the Europa League playoffs. Despite a 1-0 win in the away leg thanks to a Jordan Ferri goal, the first leg at home saw Lyon collapse 1-2, with goals from Fatai and Budescu sealing their fate. The squad, featuring Corentin Tolisso, Christophe Jallet, and Maxime Gonalons, recovered to finish second in Ligue 1 in May 2015, ensuring their return to the Champions League. However, the Astra Giurgiu loss marked the end of an 18-year streak of uninterrupted European football for Lyon.
