- Title: Lyon coach left fuming at Champions League bus delay
- Date: 1st June 2017
- Summary: CARDIFF, WALES, UK (MAY 31, 2017) (REUTERS) CARDIFF CITY STADIUM STAND / LYON PLAYERS TRAINING SIGN READING (English): "UEFA WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE" CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALLS ON PITCH LYON HEAD COACH, GERARD PRECHEUR, PICKING UP A BALL CLOSE OF WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TROPHY PRECHEUR IN NEWS CONFERENCE ALONGSIDE LYON CAPTAIN, WENDIE RENARD (CENTRE) (SOUNDBITE) (French) LYON HEAD COACH, GERARD PRECHEUR, SAYING: (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATION) "Good evening everyone. What just happened to us, arriving so late, I don't think something similar would have happened in men's football. I think there's a lot of work to do in women's football. Let's look at that trophy, we've got the right mindset, we're ready for this final." VARIOUS OF LYON PLAYERS RUNNING (SOUNDBITE) (French) LYON HEAD COACH, GERARD PRECHEUR, SAYING: (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATION) "Well we had some challenges. Our bus, the UEFA shuttle was not on time, it was an hour late, so we were left waiting for 45 minutes in the hotel lobby. We've got work to do, we shouldn't be wasting time, we're professionals. Wendie (Renard, Lyon captain) and myself are professionals, we've got a lot to do and we've lost 45 minutes. Then there was nobody to escort us here for 45 minutes so we lost an hour and a half. This is what happened, this is why I'm not particularly pleased. But, be assured, once I'm on the pitch I'll smile again!" VARIOUS OF LYON PLAYERS TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (French) LYON CAPTAIN, WENDIE RENARD, SAYING: (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATION) "We're players, we're competitors. I'm never tired of winning, as soon as I get ready to go on the pitch I want to win, whether it be in training sessions, in smaller games in competitions. As long as I can claim trophies I will go for it. So I think we have a very competent group backing us and we all want to lift trophies because once you've experienced it altogether you cannot forget this emotion. You share it with the staff and all the people who are responsible in the club. It's a huge achievement and you don't play this kind of game every day. When you have an opportunity like this you need to give it your all and then at least be proud of what you did on the pitch. But we're ready." PARIS ST. GERMAIN PLAYERS STRETCHING PARIS ST. GERMAIN HEAD COACH, PATRICE LAIR, WATCHING PARIS ST. GERMAIN CAPTAIN, SHIRLEY CRUZ, RUNNING VARIOUS OF PARIS ST. GERMAIN GOALKEEPER, KATARZYNA KIEDRZYNEK, TRAINING LAIR SPEAKING TO PLAYERS PLAYERS GETTING INTO HUDDLE AND SHOUTING LAIR ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (French) PARIS ST. GERMAIN HEAD COACH, PATRICE LAIR, SAYING: (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATION) "No, not necessarily. As I was saying earlier on when we can play with our full strength we have qualities, we've got our strengths, and if we could repeat what we did last week (in Coupe de France Feminine Final loss against Lyon) with slightly more ambition, with being able to progress through the pitch and keep the ball, I think we can be very dangerous. Tomorrow we will be at our maximum. Even if Lyon is also at their maximum I think we can win. I am convinced." (SOUNDBITE) (French) PARIS ST. GERMAIN CAPTAIN, SHIRLEY CRUZ, SAYING: (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATION) "Good evening everyone. It will be our third game against Lyon, the cup final (1-1 draw before Lyon won 7-6 on penalties) showed our strength, our quality and now it's going to be down to details. We're ready for the match and they know we're here to win this game." CLOSE OF WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TROPHY
- Embargoed: 15th June 2017 02:12
- Keywords: Women's Champions League final Lyon PSG Paris St Germain bus delay training
- Location: CARDIFF, WALES, UK
- City: CARDIFF, WALES, UK
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0016J672V3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The coach of Lyon's women’s team blasted UEFA on Wednesday (May 31) after a shuttle bus delay left his team an hour late for training ahead of the Women's Champions League final.
It will be an all French affair in Thursday's (June 1) match when holders Lyon will look to defend their crown against Paris St. Germain at Cardiff City Stadium.
Coach Gerard Precheur told reporters that he was unhappy a transport delay pushed Lyon's preparations behind schedule and claimed such a mistake wouldn't occur in the men's game.
The two sides met on May 19 in the Women's Coupe de France, with Lyon winning 7-6 on penalties after the match finished 1-1.
Paris St. Germain head coach Patrice Lair and captain Shirley Cruz told reporters that if they could replicate their performance from that fixture they would stand a good chance of winning in Cardiff.
The match is scheduled to kick-off at 1845GMT. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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