Champions League

Arsene Wenger backs Lyon to bounce back

By Liam Power, Reporter | 18 October 2013

Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger expects Lyon to respond from a dreadful run of form in Ligue 1 quickly, after winning just one win from 11 in all competitions.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes that Lyon have enough quality to recover from their worst start to a Ligue 1 campaign in recent memory.

Lyon have managed just one victory in their last seven games, with a 5-1 defeat at Montpellier two weeks ago dropping Remi Garde's side to 14th in the table.

Wenger thinks that Lyon are still struggling to deal with being knocked out of the Champions League at the qualifying stage, but has backed former Gunners midfielder Garde to turn things round.

He told Ligue 1's official website: "I believe for Lyon it is a little bit a special problem because the blow of going out of the Champions League looks like it has broken their neck.

"They had a very good start, and after the disappointment of going out of the Champions League, looked to have been a huge blow, not only for the team but for the club.

"It takes some time to recover from that and I hope they will, because they felt sorry for themselves certainly for a while. Now they look to have realised that they cannot go on like that and that they have to battle. So I believe Lyon will come back."

Garde's search for a change in fortunes continues this weekend, with Lyon hosting fellow slow starters Bordeaux.