On January 2, Olympique Lyonnais formalized the comeback of Dejan Lovren (33), nine and a half years after the defender left for Southampton. A reinforcement of choice for Laurent Blanc who wanted more than anything the arrival of an element of experience and character. On paper, Lovren ticks all the boxes and in addition he knows the house. Except that OL are finding themselves with a very hot potato to manage.
On December 22, Lovren was grilled by the media celebrating the World Cup in Croatia with fascist salutes, nationalist songs and homophobic remarks. Mediapart had also relayed the news this week, just after Lovren’s arrival at OL. Yesterday, Laurent Blanc did not escape questions on the subject. And unsurprisingly, the Cévennes seemed very embarrassed when it came to wanting to send this question as quickly as possible.
Radio silence at OL
“For me, he is a good recruit. He can bring experience and he knows how to speak French. To be a leader, you have to speak our language. In terms of player, he is a good recruit. Just look at his career. Lovren fulfilled what we were looking for. His song? It is a nationalist song from his country. For the rest, I cannot speak for him. Me, I saw the thing he could bring to the club, he’s a good recruit. I saw a respectful man, the same with his family. But you will have to ask him the question if you want an answer. Some things are shocking, but we are only football players, we are not here to talk about much more serious things.
An answer that surprised more than one. After Jérôme Boateng and his legal troubles that OL discovered long after his signing, Les Gones find themselves with a controversial new recruit. And faced with the scandal, no one reacted. In today’s edition, The Parisian explains that it is radio silence in the corridors of OL. A silence which stains and which is worth to Les Gones to be singled out by the various associations fighting against homophobia. Apart from Laurent Blanc’s intervention, have OL planned to give an answer? And the player? So many questions that could quickly become unmanageable.
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