Melchie Dumornay et Lindsey Heaps lors d’Arsenal – OL Lyonnes (Photo by Justin Setterfield / GETTY IMAGES EUROPE / Getty Images via AFP)
Remaining on the bench this Sunday afternoon at the Emirates Stadium, Selma Bacha, Melchie Dumornay and Tabitha Chawinga did not have all their physical capabilities to hold their place. Jonatan Giraldez nevertheless assures that they will be available for the return of OL Lyonnes – Arsenal.
From our special correspondent in London.
Since the start of the season, they have been rather spared. There were physical glitches here and there, but the playersOL Lyonnes had held up the shock quite well. Unfortunately, the bad news came at the worst time with this Champions League semi-final. To get to London, Jonathan Giraldez had chosen to bring his entire group. But no one was really fooled. We suspected that some players were not able to hold their place at the Emirates Stadium. Ines Benyaiah and Tabitha Hello had not trained on Saturday and were coming off a match against Dijon which had left after-effects. They certainly took their place on the bench this Sunday, but they did not even attempt the slightest warm-up either before the match or during the match.
Available for the return match according to Giraldez
More surprising, especially when reading the initial composition, the absences of Melchie Dumornay and Selma Youth. Both had taken part in the training before the match and had taken advantage of the two weeks of international break to regenerate physically. But it wasn’t enough to make the starting lineup, or even get in. Jonathan Giraldez confirmed that there were “players who were diminished”. With a score of 1-0, then 1-1 and then 2-1, OL Lyonnes is far from having said its last word. And most certainly that the Spanish coach did not want to take unnecessary risks during the match when there is still a return match to play. A meeting for which Bacha and Dumornay “will be available”assured Giraldez. Two reinforcements of choice, and why more if affinities.
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