Felix Bacher (OL) targets impact: “Ligue 1’s reputation isn’t always deserved”

Felix Bacher is already settling into life at OL after joining this summer. The Austrian centre-back (25) made his first appearance before reporters in the lead-up to the Ligue 1 opener of the week against Auxerre, a 3rd matchday fixture.

He started by addressing adaptation. Bacher said the first weeks have gone well, praising the club’s atmosphere and the way he’s been treated by everyone—from teammates and the coaching staff to club personnel. He even added a bit of humour during his English answers: “Maybe you haven’t noticed it yet, but I’m not that slow.”

Fit, role and ambition

Bacher explained why Lyon’s interest convinced him. “When a club like Lyon approaches you, you listen,” he said, describing how early conversations with Benjamin Charier and Matthieu Louis-Jean—and others from the staff—helped him understand OL’s plans and the perspectives on offer. “After that, I was fully focused on coming to Lyon, and I especially wanted to help the team as soon as possible,” he added.

Turning the page on Europe

The defender also referred to OL’s early disappointment in Europe: the club was knocked out in the qualifiers for the Champions League after facing Fenerbahçe (1-1, 1-2). Bacher’s message was clear about the mental reset: “Everyone would have wanted to play the Champions League, but as professionals we have to move on quickly. The following morning, it was already clear we had to go all-in for the Europa League.”

Early Ligue 1 moments

On the pitch, OL have already seen him in Ligue 1 with promising early outings: 2-0 vs Toulouse and 1-1 vs Le Havre. Bacher knows the job is just beginning and remains ambitious. “My goal is to be in the starting XI, but above all to help the team. It’s a daily work,” he said, pointing to the need to understand how each player adapts to their role. After the summer window, Paulo Fonseca summed up the mood: “Mentally, we have a stronger team.”

Source: L'Équipe