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Lyon chairman Jean-Michel Aulas urges caution after APOEL Nicosia Champions League draw
Owner admits the French side will be favourites to progress as they face the Cypriot surprise package but insists they "must be very careful" and avoid overconfidence
16 Dec 2011 12:59:00
By Oliver Platt
Lyon owner and chairman Jean-Michel Aulas has urged caution after the Ligue 1 side were handed a seemingly favourable Champions League last 16 draw against APOEL Nicosia.
The reigning Cypriot champions topped a group featuring Zenit St. Petersburg, Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk to progress to the knockout stage and Aulas insisted it was important that Lyon did not become overconfident.
"We are probably favorites and it is not a problem for us," Aulas told reporters. "But we must not be overconfident.
"We must be wary. Sometimes, Santa Claus can be bad."
Aulas emphasised the importance of the first leg, which will be played at the Stade de Gerland in Lyon, as the French team seek to establish an advantage ahead of the reverse fixture in Cyprus.
"It is always harder to play the first game at home," he admitted. "Not to mention that Apoel have produced some great results on their own turf.
"We must be very careful. The qualification will need to be earned at the first leg. We will need to score plenty of goals.
"Anyway, it has been a good week for us, with a lot of good decisions in it."
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The reigning Cypriot champions topped a group featuring Zenit St. Petersburg, Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk to progress to the knockout stage and Aulas insisted it was important that Lyon did not become overconfident.
"We are probably favorites and it is not a problem for us," Aulas told reporters. "But we must not be overconfident.
"We must be wary. Sometimes, Santa Claus can be bad."
Aulas emphasised the importance of the first leg, which will be played at the Stade de Gerland in Lyon, as the French team seek to establish an advantage ahead of the reverse fixture in Cyprus.
"It is always harder to play the first game at home," he admitted. "Not to mention that Apoel have produced some great results on their own turf.
"We must be very careful. The qualification will need to be earned at the first leg. We will need to score plenty of goals.
"Anyway, it has been a good week for us, with a lot of good decisions in it."
| Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every Game |
|
| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
|
| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
|
| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
|
| Sign up with Paddy Power - Bet £10, Get £20! |
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