Lyon were en route to a seventh successive league title when Karim Benzema, Juninho Pernambucano and company came to Glasgow seeking to avenge an incredible 3-0 defeat in France.
That they did, by the same scoreline, as Rangers subsequently tumbled into the Uefa Cup and ended up in the 2008 final in Manchester.
But Lyon have not won the domestic title since. Although they were still a decent side when they returned to Ibrox in 2021 with Bruno Guimaraes and Lucas Paqueta pulling the strings, their star has definitely waned.
Indeed they were in danger of being relegated when Pierre Sage was asked to step up from his academy role to take the reins on an interim basis after Fabio Grosso was sacked last November, with the team languishing in bottom spot.
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Sage resuscitated the ailing club and eventually led them to sixth place, their best finish in three years, and back into Europe.
The purse strings were loosened in January as Sage was given the manager’s job permanently, allowing him to strengthen and mould the squad as he saw fit.
In came veteran Nemanja Matic to steady the ship in midfield, Said Benrahma on loan from West Ham, plus Gift Orban and Malick Fofana from Genk and Gent, respectively, to add to the attacking threat.
All contributed to a much improved second half of the season, but Lyon decided more investment was required.
Sebastien Ogier says he needs a “reset” after a third consecutive incident cost Toyota valuable points in its bid to defend the World Rally Championship manufacturers’ title.
The eight-time world champion was in the box seat to deliver a fourth victory from his partial campaign at the Central European Rally, having ended Saturday with 18 provisional points after building a 5.2s lead over Hyundai’s Ott Tanak.
However, his rally began to unravel when he overshot a left-hander in Sunday’s first stage, dropping the Frenchman 1.9s behind the 2019 world champion.
That gap was shortened to 1.5s heading into the penultimate run, where Ogier’s rally came to an abrupt halt six hundred metres into a stage where route note crews were unable to traverse beforehand to pass on crucial road information to drivers.
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Ogier ran wide into a fast right-hander, clattering the trees and causing terminal damage to his GR Yaris, and was unusually visibly angry in the aftermath of the incident that threw away the 18 points earned on Saturday.
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The accident is the third incident in a row for Ogier after crashing on the final stage in Greece, while in Chile he clipped a rock that sent him into retirement on the Saturday.
“It was another example that the gravel crew are doing a crucial job for us. It was the only stage of the weekend where they were not allowed to go through and basically we didn’t have the information of the road evolution,” said Ogier at the scene of the crash.
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Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photo by: Toyota Racing
“This first long corner under the trees people have been cutting more [than we were] anticipating. The corner was becoming very greasy and at the end I couldn’t turn basically and I understeered and went wide at the exit and hit the trees on the outside.
“I feel angry with myself in the moment and I’m very sorry for the team. I tried my best. It was really my main target to help them achieve the manufacturers’ title.
“I think I was doing a good job so far but unfortunately it is a third weekend in a row that has not gone my way. It is a tough time.”
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Reflecting on the incident hours later, Ogier added: “I need a reset for sure. Right now I feel very disappointed for the team as it could have been another strong weekend for us.
“In France, we say ‘never two without three’ and now it is three rallies in a row that we have really tough luck. I’m very happy with the speed obviously but unfortunately, again this was even worse than the last weekends as we didn’t score any points this time. Let’s hope we still have some in Japan.”
Despite the crash, Toyota reduced the deficit to Hyundai to 15 points in the manufacturers’ race thanks to points scored by Elfyn Evans, who finished the rally third overall, while Takamoto Katsuta picked up the maximum 12 Super Sunday points.
Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala admitted that it had been strange to see the mistakes from Ogier, but also believes safety note crews must be allowed to pass through each stage in the future.
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“It was looking very good after Saturday and I thought we would be able to catch back on points and take it closer for Japan, but it has unfortunately changed quite rapidly,” Latvala told Motorsport.com.
“It’s strange [to see these errors from Seb] and he has apologised.
“This time, what he told me [is] they didn’t allow the safety crews to go through because of the timetable so there was more mud on this corner and he anticipated higher grip and he lost control of the car.
“With these cars, we should always have the safety crews going on stage. It is a different story with the slower cars but when the speeds are higher the risk levels are higher.
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“I think it has hurt him quite hard because he had done a great fight and tried to help the team but when the accidents happen in a row… it starts to affect your confidence and everything it is not easy to handle that kind of thing.”
That was a major statement for the Merseysiders’ manager Arne Slot, whose team now stands a point ahead of Manchester City and four away from third-placed Arsenal at the top.
Mohamed Salah opened the scoring a minute before the half-hourmark from the penalty spot.
But Chelsea hit back just three minutes into the second half with Nicolas Jackson.
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However, Liverpool picked up the three points thanks to Curtis Jones’ winner just three minutes later.
But how did each Liverpool star far? Check out Ken Lawrence’s player ratings below for more:
CAOIMHIN KELLEHER – 5
For the Kop – and no doubt secretly for boss Arne Slot – still surely lacking a top “keeper’s presence.
TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD – 5
Didn’t look entirely comfortable throughout especially in the face of Malso Gusto’s first-half raids.
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IBRAHIMA KONATE – 5
Caught napping by Nicolas Jackson’s run three minutes into the second half for Chelsea’s equaliser
VIRGIL VAN DIJK – 7
He has his assassins back home in the Netherlands but again showed imperious defensive abilities
ANDY ROBERTSON – 6
The Scotland captain is not the greatest defender but goodness me – what a brilliant last-second block.
Francis Ngannou made an emphatic return to MMA competition Saturday when he emerged from the PFL: Battle of the Giants main event with the promotion’s inaugural superfight heavyweight title.
Former UFC heavyweight champ Ngannou (18-3) spent about 1,000 days away from the sport in which he made his name. That time away included two high-profile boxing matches and a personal tragedy with the death of his son, but he returned for a first-round knockout of Renan Ferreira in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
With Ngannou seemingly unable to fight top-ranked MMA heavyweights like Jon Jones or Tom Aspinall in the UFC, it raises questions about what should be next. Check out the video above for thoughts and analysis on Ngannou’s future.
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