Lyon’s current difficulties were underlined by a notable statistic in their Europa League match against Belgian club Anderlecht: for the first time in 15 years, the French side began a European fixture without a single academy graduate in their starting line-up.
Every player selected from the outset was recruited from elsewhere, rather than developed by Lyon. The match marked the first occasion since 2011 that the club had entered a European game with no product of its own youth system among the starters.
Lyon had previously reached that point 118 European matches earlier, when they faced Ajax in Amsterdam. The absence of home-grown talent has been described as a clear indication of the problems affecting the club’s work at youth level.
The statistic adds to a period of difficulty for Lyon, who have also endured a lengthy wait for silverware. Their most recent trophies came in 2012, when they won the Coupe de France and the Trophee des Champions.