The 2009–10 season was French football club Olympique Lyonnais's 51st season in Ligue 1 and was their 21st consecutive season in the top division of French football. For the first time in seven years, Lyon entered the football season without defending the Ligue 1 title. They were overthrown by Bordeaux who claimed the title on the final day of 2008–09 season. This was also the first time in nine years Lyon had to earn qualification to the group stage of the UEFA Champions League as they began from the playoff round, due to their third-place finish last season.
News On 6 June 2009, it was announced by Lyon that fitness coach Robert Duverne had quit his position to focus full-time on the France national team, who were attempting to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. Vincent Espié, who had previously worked as fitness coach for Claude Puel's former club Lille, was brought in as his replacement.ARRIVÉE DE V.ESPIÉ
Departures this summer include long time Lyonnais Juninho, who, after spending a respectable eight seasons at the club, moved to Qatari club Al-Gharafa. Defender Sandy Paillot joined fellow Ligue 1 club Grenoble for a fee of €2 million after spending almost a year-and-a-half on loan at the club. Also during this summer window, a host of youth players who were either deemed surplus to requirements or looking to find some significant playing time departed the club. Pierrick Valdivia, Ayan Si-Mohamed and Alexis Carra moved to Sedan, Stade Reims and Italian club Vicenza, respectively. Midfielder Romain Dedola and defender Morgan Ancian both joined Strasbourg, while Quentin Barlet and Jérémy Dequelson joined lesser rivals Lyon Duchère. Another youth player, Jérémy Pied, joined Metz on loan for the entire 2009–10 season with hopes that the player will receive greater playing time.
On 1 July 2009, Lyon surprisingly announced that they had reached an agreement with Spanish club Real Madrid for the transfer of Karim Benzema, who reportedly wanted to stay at least one more year with his hometown club. The transfer fee was priced at €35m with the fee rising to as much as €41m based on incentives. A day later, Lyon confirmed the departure of Ivorian winger Abdul Kader Keïta who, despite being Lyon's highest paid transfer at that time, failed to live up to expectations. Keïta moved to Turkish club Galatasaray, with Lyon earning €8.5 million for the player. On 5 August, the club announced the departure of striker Frédéric Piquionne, who joined English club Portsmouth on loan for the entire season. One week later, various sources in France reported that defender John Mensah would be joining English club Sunderland on loan for the season, with the club also having an option to purchase the player for a fee of €7 million following the season. The move was subject to Mensah passing a medical and being granted a work permit, which was completed a week-and-a-half later.
On 7 July, Lyon confirmed their first transfer arrival to the club. After almost two weeks of negotiations with Portuguese club Porto, Lyon reached an agreement on a transfer fee for the Argentine striker Lisandro López. The transfer fee was priced at €24 million, with the fee rising to as much as €28 million with incentives, thereby making López the club's most expensive signing. The following week, Lyon addressed an important need after reaching an agreement with Lille for the transfer of the Brazilian left winger Michel Bastos, with the transfer fee being approximately €18 million. Two days later, Lyon filled another need, signing another Porto player in left back Aly Cissokho for €15 million. An additional incentive involved in the deal is Porto will receive 20 percent of any future transfer fee Lyon receives for the player. On 29 July, Lyon, who admitted they needed at least one more striker, announced the signing of French international Bafétimbi Gomis from rivals Saint-Étienne, with the fee being approximately €13 million.
Before the summer signings, Lyon announced that two youth players would be promoted to the club's first team after agreeing to professional contracts. Defender Loïc Abenzoar and midfielder Maxime Gonalons both agreed to three-year professional contracts tying them to the club until 2012. Also, following the season, Lyon signed left back Timothée Kolodziejczak, who had been on a season long loan from Lens. Kolodziejczak agreed to a four-year contract and Lyon paid Lens €2.5 million. Lyon also completed the signing of 16-year-old Swiss goalkeeper Jérémy Frick, who signed a two-year deal. Frick, formerly of Servette, will join the club's youth academy.
Transfers
Summer in
Winter In
Total spending: €82.5 million
Summer out
Winter out
Total income: €50 million
Squad Last updated 15 May 2010
Team kit Umbro will manufacture the kits for Lyon. Umbro have been the official kit provider of Lyon since 2003 and, two years ago, signed an extension with Lyon until 2013. This season, Lyon will have brand-new home, away, Champions League kits, which were revealed to the public on 12 July, despite the shirts leaking on 17 June. The home shirt has a white base color, with the horizontal red and blue stripe in the middle, reverting from the club's red and blue vertical stripe that has been used in previous years. The logo of Umbro appears on the top-right of the shirt in blue.http://www.myfootballkits.co.uk/759/new-olympique-lyon-home-shirt-2009-10/ The away shirt features a black and red design. The top part of the shirt is black and it fades horizontally in the middle into red. The shirt has a partly red collar, and also has red details on the black sleeves. The European kit is midnight blue with the horizontal red and blue stripe locating in the middle of the shirt.Umbro OL 09/10 Kits
Club
Coaching staff
Other information
Pre-season Lyon opened their pre-season in their usual setting training in the mountainous Rhône-Alpes commune of Tignes. Lyon confirmed several preseason friendly matches. Lyon also participated in the Peace Cup for the fourth time having won the exhibition tournament in 2007. On 11 July, Lyon opened up their pre-season facing fellow Ligue 1 club Nice in Albertville. Lyon won the match 1–0 with the lone goal of the match coming from Ederson in the 12th minute of play.
A week later, Lyon hosted Lens in Arnas. Lyon trailed 0–2 heading into the 80th minute with both of Lens goals being scored as a result of Lyon mistakes. The first goal being scored due to an unexpected turnover by Sidney Govou and the second being scored as a result of casual, yet lazy play between defensemen Jean-Alain Boumsong and Timothée Kolodziejczak, with the former being more responsible. Lyon completed the comeback with both of their goals being scored by the Swede Kim Källström, the first being a free kick in the 85th minute and the second in the 89th minute to draw the match at 2–2, which was the final scoreline.
From 24 July to 2 August, Lyon will be among several top clubs that will participate in the 2009 Peace Cup held in Andalusia, Spain. Clubs playing in their group and whom they will face are defending Primeira Liga champions Porto and 2008–09 Süper Lig champions Beşiktaş, whom they played first. Lyon controlled the match for the majority of and eventually got a goal in the 69th minute from Kim Källström after a nice backheel assist from Miralem Pjanić. Leading 1–0 heading into the final minutes, Lyon's defense fell off, with Beşiktaş's first chance being cleared off the line by Pjanić leading to a corner. On the ensuing corner, the Turkish club equalised with the goal coming off the head of Mert Nobre in the 84th minute. That would be the eventual scoreline giving both clubs one point heading into their matches with Porto.Besiktas hold Lyon to 1–1 draw in Peace Cup In the match, Lyon suffered their first defeat of the season losing 0–2 with both of Porto's goals being scored by the Brazilian Hulk eliminating Lyon from the Peace Cup and also ending their preseason with 11 days to spare ahead of their opening league match against Le Mans.
On 28 July, however, Lyon announced that on 30 July, they will play La Liga club Sevilla, who were also eliminated from the Peace Cup, in a friendly match at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán. They later announced, upon the club's return to France, they will face another La Liga side in Deportivo de La Coruña in Aix-les-Bains.OL - Deportivo la Corogne : une exclusivité OLTV In the Sevilla match, despite the debut of Lisandro López and boasting an almost full strength side, Lyon failed to get on the scoreboard losing 0–1 making the defeat their second straight loss in the preseason. Three days later, Lyon earned a positive result drawing 2–2 with Deportivo with both of their goals coming from new players Bafétimbi Gomis and López. Lyon ended the preseason with a record of one win, three draws and two defeats.
Friendly
Peace Cup
Competitions
Ligue 1
Olympique Lyonnais began their league campaign on the road taking on Le Mans at the Stade Léon-Bollée. Lyon started off the match very slow and eventually allowed a goal that was scored by Modibo Maïga in just the 21st minute. Lyon responded just seven minutes later with a goal from the converted defender Mathieu Bodmer, who equalized on a shot at the top of the box as a result of a great pass from Lisandro López. Following the break, Le Mans came out quickly in the attack and were awarded a questionable penalty by referee Lionel Jaffredo. The young Mathieu Coutadeur converted the penalty giving the home team a 2–1 lead. In the ensuing minutes, Lyon slowly lost focus, but were eventually revived when new signing Bafétimbi Gomis came on in the 77th minute. Their newfound attack still drew no goals and heading into the injury time session, Lyon were awarded a free kick just outside the penalty box. With new signings and free kick specialists Michel Bastos and López both standing over the ball, it was the latter who took it and placed the ball easily into the back of the net drawing the match at 2–2 and giving Lyon their first point of the season. Lyon's first at home was against Valenciennes. With a pivotal Champions League match coming up early next week and Jérémy Toulalan also going on international duty, he was partially rested for the match, which featured the midfield combination of Jean Makoun and Kim Källström. Lyon won the match 1–0 with a goal from Gomis, his first with the club, in the 37th minute. The goal was assisted on by Michel Bastos. The victory initially moved Lyon into fourth-place, but after the next day's matches, Lyon fell to eighth. The following week, Lyon faced Auxerre on the road. After their strong performance mid-week in the Champions League, manager Claude Puel implemented exactly the same formation, albeit with different players in certain positions. Despite missing several goal opportunities mid-week, César Delgado responded by dishing out two assists, the first on the club's opening goal scored by Jean-Alain Boumsong, who was making his season debut, and the club's second goal, scored by Miralem Pjanić, his first career league goal for the club. Lyon won the match 3–0.Auxerre v. Lyon Match Report The Auxerre match was notable as it marked the debut of the highly rated 17-year-old Ishak Belfodil, who came on as a substitute in the 84th minute. The next week, Lyon returned home and were victors again claiming a 3–1 victory over Nancy, with all three Lyon goals coming from new signings Bastos, López and Gomis.