Fonseca after Lyon's qualification: «This Lyon is not the one from before»

Paulo Fonseca expressed satisfaction with Lyon's performance after eliminating Sparta Prague in the Champions League tie, according to L'Équipe. The French side won the second leg 3-0 following their 1-2 first-leg defeat, securing a place in the playoff round against Fenerbahçe (August 18 and 26).

«We did exactly what we planned,» said the Portuguese manager. «We started very strong against a team with quality, and I think we were superior.» Fonseca highlighted Prague's defensive setup following Sevinsky's red card in the first half, which forced the Czech side to defend deeper with five defenders.

While acknowledging that Lyon no longer has the financial resources of its best years, the coach remains ambitious about what lies ahead. He praised attacking connections with Malick Fofana and Abner on the left flank, as well as Ernest Nuamah's initiatives on the right.