Will Lyon take Barcelona by surprise?

Lyon face a giant task in front of them in the Champions League when they square off against Barcelona in their round of 16 clash. The Ligue 1 outfit face the current La Liga leaders in the knockout stage of the Champions League and although Barcelona as seen as the favourites, Lyon may be the team that takes the football world by surprise. 

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Barcelona are usually favourites when it comes to the Champions League and are often expected to at least make it to the final four, but the Spanish team may struggle more than expected. Last year the Catalan club were also clear favourites when facing Roma before a shock elimination at the hands of the Italians.. The loss  left a lasting impression on the squad and fans and this year. But they will be even more determined to win the trophy after watching rivals Real Madrid claim it three years in a row. 

Lyon may be the underdog against Barcelona but they have all the cards needed to win being a young and intelligent team. Recently they stunned Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and last weekend were the first Ligue 1 team to end Paris Saint-Germain’s winning streak. Les Gones also have great players that can make the difference, with Memphis Depay and World Cup winner Nabil Fekir the standouts. 

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Barcelona have also struggled in the last few weeks especially with injuries with Ivan Rakitic off the field, Samuel Umtiti only recently making a return and Lionel Messi out during the Copa Del Rey match against Real Madrid. Although Barcelona have the more experienced and seasoned team, Lyon will be putting up a real fight and may take the Catalan team by surprise.