In the space of several meetings, whether with his club training or within the Espoirs team, Rayan Cherki was able to find his form and progress significantly. It seems that the end of the season has good prospects in store for him and could allow him to reap the rewards of his efforts.
On March 15, during the Ligue 1 match between Toulouse and Olympique Lyonnais, Rayan Cherki perhaps experienced a decisive turning point in his career. Coming into play in the 66th minute when Lyon was trailing 2-1, the young number 18 turned the situation around by scoring a goal then offering an assist to Jake O’Brien, allowing his team to win (2 -3).
Subsequently, Thierry Henry, the coach of the France U23 team, called him up for the two friendly matches against Ivory Coast and the United States. However, Cherki was not initially planned for the list. His performances were obviously noticed and rewarded. “I wasn’t too far from the door so I heard it too. It’s a good message from him, it was quite clear. Thierry Henry took this into account and I heard it too”, declared Pierre Sage during a press conference this Thursday.
Return to the 11 of OL then prospect of participating in the Olympics?
The Olympique Lyonnais coach praised his player’s performances with the U23s. Cherki could therefore find his place in the Lyon starting lineup, Saturday evening against Stade de Reims in the championship, then next Tuesday in the semi-final of the Coupe de France against Valenciennes.
Rayan Cherki now appears to be in a good position to participate in the Olympic Games. “Our club has positioned itself, it came out in the press this Thursday. We are rather favorable to their participation, underlined Pierre Sage. Of course, the conditions must be taken into account. But for a club like Olympique Lyonnais, it would be a shame if the players could not take part in the Olympic Games…”
