Bullish Puel confident Lyon can upset odds

LYON coach Claude Puel is confident his side can upset the odds and knock Barcelona out of the Champions League tonight.

Les Gones’ outspoken president Jean-Michel Aulas labelled Barca “ultra-favourites” to progress into the last eight, having seen the Catalans nick a priceless away goal in the 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Stade Gerland a fortnight ago.

But Puel remains bullish, saying: “It is an open tie that is still undecided.

“It will be a massive match. Barcelona are a team who can score a lot of goals but they can concede them as well. And we know that we will have to score to qualify.”

Asked for his prediction, Puel added: “Lyon are going to qualify.”

Lyon’s hopes could hinge on whether star striker Karim Benzema is fit enough to play tomorrow.

The France international withdrew at half-time in the 2-0 defeat to Lille on Saturday with a recurrence of a hip injury. Puel revealed it is touch and go whether Benzema will feature, while key centre-back Jean-Alain Boumsong (hamstring) is also a major doubt.

“There is still a worry about both of them,” said Puel.

“But both they and us are doing all we can to enable them to take part. We will see how things develop.”

Hugo Lloris should recover from a fever to take his place in goal while full-back Francois Clerc and centre-half Mathieu Bodmer proved their fitness in the Lille defeat after long spells on the sidelines, and could start for the second match in succession.

While Lyon, chasing an eighth consecutive domestic title, are now just a point clear in Ligue 1, Barca extended their lead at the top of La Liga to six points.

Lyon ran Barca ragged early on in the first leg and that has not been forgotten by the Blaugrana’s former Lens and Lorient midfielder Seydou Keita, who is predicting a testing night for his team at the Nou Camp.

“They made things hard for us,” he said.

“They are a good team, the best in France, and it’ll be a tricky game for us.

“We will give our all to win. We need to look at ourselves and not at Benzema or Lyon.

“If we play well, we will win the match.”

Barca will be without captain Carles Puyol, who is out for three weeks with an ankle problem while former Lyon defender Eric Abidal and centre-half Gabriel Milito are also injured.