FCSBvs.Lyon

Lyon secured their place in the last 16 with a sixth-place finish in the league phase, while FCSB had to come through a playoff tie against Greek outfit PAOK.

Match preview

FCSB finished just one point behind Lyon in the league phase after winning four, drawing two and losing two of their eight matches.

However, that record was not enough to secure a top-eight spot, with their 11th-place finish sending them into the knockout-round playoffs as a seeded team.

The Romanian champions successfully negotiated their playoff round tie against PAOK, claiming a 2-1 victory in the away leg, before backing up that performance with a 2-0 win in the return leg to send them into the Europa League last 16 for the first time since 2012-13.

Elias Charalambous's side have since been involved in two derby fixtures, beating Dinamo Bucharest 2-1 before playing out a goalless draw in Sunday's meeting with Rapid Bucharest, leaving them one point clear at the top of the Romanian top flight.

Those results also extended FCSB's unbeaten run to eight matches in all competitions (W5, D3), with their most recent defeat taking place against Manchester United in a league phase match at the end of January.

The hosts are searching for their first competitive win over Lyon after drawing one and losing three of their four meetings across the 2006-07 and 2008-09 Champions League group stages.

Lyon avoided the risk of a playoff tie after they won four, drew three and lost just one of their eight league phase matches to secure a sixth-place finish.

The French side enter the knockout rounds under new management after Paulo Fonseca was named as Pierre Sage's successor following the conclusion of the league phase.

Fonseca has won three of his first five matches in charge, including a 2-1 victory in Sunday's home fixture against Brest, which was overshadowed by a confrontation with referee Benoit Millot, leaving him at risk of receiving a lengthy domestic ban.

The 51-year-old, who has since apologised for the incident, is now preparing to take charge of his first European game as Lyon boss, with the French side looking to set up a quarter-final meeting with Real Sociedad or Manchester United.

Les Gones has fared well in their most recent last-16 appearances in UEFA competition, beating Juventus on away goals in the 2019-20 Champions League, before they recorded a narrow 2-1 victory in the 2021-22 Europa League.

Lyon will also take confidence from the fact they are unbeaten in their last 11 Europa League away matches since losing 1-0 to Atalanta in December 2017 (W8, D3).

FCSB Europa League form:

D

D

W

L

W

W

FCSB form (all competitions):

W

W

W

W

W

D

Lyon Europa League form:

L

D

W

W

D

D

Lyon form (all competitions):

D

L

W

W

L

W

Team News

FCSB are having to cope with an absentee list which includes Alexandru Pantea, Octavian Popescu, Darius Olaru, William Baeten and Mihai Lixandru.

Forward Daniel Birligea is also expected to miss the first leg after being absent from the club's last two matchday squads.

Winter additions Ionut Cercel, Alexandru Stoian and Jordan Gele will not be involved in Thursday's fixture, having been left out of the Europa League squad for the knockout phase.

Lyon are unable to call upon Brazilian defender Abner Vinicius, who has missed the last two matches with an injury issue.

In positive news, Nicolas Tagliafico is available for selection after being suspended for the league win over Brest due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

Midfielder Nemanji Matic and winger Ernest Nuamah could return to the starting lineup after dropping down to the bench on Sunday.

FCSB possible starting lineup:

Tarnovanu; Cretu, Popescu, Dawa, Radunovic; Sut, Chiriches; Miculescu, Tanase, Cisotti; Gheorghita

Lyon possible starting lineup:

Perri; Kumbedi, Mata, Niakhate, Tagliafico; Tessmann, Matic; Cherki, Tolisso, Nuamah; Lacazette

We say: FCSB 2-2 Lyon

FCSB will be desperate to make full use of home advantage in Thursday's first leg, but they are set to face a club that have gone 11 consecutive Europa League away matches without defeat, including two wins and two draws in Lyon's four away outings in the league phase.

Written by

Ben Sully

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