Clinton Mata aims high as OL begin their Europa League run

Lyon kick off their Europa League league phase this Wednesday evening, starting away against Anderlecht, and defender Clinton Mata is already thinking big. Ahead of the first game of the competition cycle, the OL centre-back believes the team has what it takes to keep pushing beyond the early stages, according to L'Équipe.

Setting the tone in Brussels

As the Ligue Europa phase begins, Mata’s message is clear. L’Équipe reports that he questions why they shouldn’t “go all the way,” framing the group’s mindset as one built for progression rather than simply participating.

A tough first test

The opener at Anderlecht is a key moment for the Lyon project in this format, where every match can shape the path to the next rounds. Mata’s comments reflect a desire to compete from the start and use momentum to build consistency.

Belief from day one

With the competition already underway for Lyon, Mata’s ambition lands as an early warning: they want to be a threat throughout the campaign. As L’Équipe puts it through his words, the defence’s takeaway is to aim as high as possible from the first whistle.