Olympique Lyonnais

Lyon center back Jerome Boateng was ordered to pay a €1.8 million ($2.1 million) fine after being found guilty of domestic violence against a former partner on Thursday.

The Associated Press reported Boateng avoided a suspended prison sentence of 1.5 years, which was sought by prosecutors in Germany after he was charged with willful bodily harm and verbal abuse of former partner Sherin Senler in July 2018.

Senler testified in Munich District Court that Boateng punched her in the kidney, tore her hair, bit her head and pressed his thumb in her eye during an argument while they were on vacation together in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

She said it was the most violent of multiple altercations during what German prosecutor Stefanie Eckert described as a "mutually toxic relationship" that led to Senler becoming a "victim of domestic violence," according to the AP.

"Our relationship was always turbulent," Senler said.

Boateng, who can appeal the ruling, testified Senler became "aggressive" following a game of cards and injured his lip.

The German international said in court he never hit his ex-girlfriend and alleged she came forward with the allegations in order to improve a case related to their children's custody, which Senler denied, per the AP.

The 33-year-old defender signed with Lyon on a free transfer last week.

He'd spent the past decade as a member of the Bayern Munch back line after prior stints with Hertha Berlin, Hamburg and Manchester City. He's also made 76 appearances for the German national team.

Bruno Guimaraes couldn't hold back the tears following Brazilian minnows Audax's relegation to the Sao Paulo State Championship second division in 2017. It was not the farewell he had anticipated after emerging as a breakout star that season.

Having caught the attention of scouts from all over the country, the defensive midfielder knew he would soon be on the move.

The hype around him had escalated to such a point that when he finally decided on a loan transfer to Athletico Paranaense, he saw other teams attempting to hijack the deal until the very last minute as he boarded a commercial flight to undergo his medical in April that year.

While taking his seat, Guimaraes found out that Athletico's fierce rivals, Coritiba, had somehow managed to place their sporting director by his side in the plane with a lucrative offer in hand. Among other things, it included a four-times-higher salary than what Athletico were offering.

As tempting as it was, the 22-year-old kept his word, joined Athletico and rejected Coritiba's overtures. 

Guimaraes has been reaping the fruits of that decision ever since.

Despite arriving as a relatively unknown teenager, Guimaraes quickly established himself as a key member of an Athletico side during one of the most glorious runs in the club's history.

In the past couple of seasons, the boy from Rio de Janeiro led the team to the Copa Sudamericana and Copa do Brasil titles, becoming a fan favourite and earning near-legendary status despite his tender years. 

It was no surprise, then, that Lyon sent a delegation to South America's pre-Olympic tournament in Colombia earlier this year to make sure he didn't slip from their hands. Lyon's proactive approach proved crucial in completing his signing for a reported fee of €20 million.

Guimaraes was on his way to France, and this time, there would be no commercial flight.

Instead, Guimaraes took a private jet straight from Colombia with his parents and entourage. There would be no other teams bothering him during the 10-hour trip, and even any fresh flirtations would have fallen on deaf ears.

The Brazil under-23s captain had already settled his future after getting a phone call from Juninho Pernambucano, Lyon's sporting director, and hearing the Lyon legend say that he would make Guimaraes "the best central midfielder in the world."

A host of clubs were interested in Guimaraes, but none of them showed the same desire as Lyon to go get him. 

Atletico Madrid had a first refusal clause, but despite a last-gasp bid, Guimaraes said they "never sent me a message or gave me a call to ask how I was doing." Chelsea, Arsenal and Benfica failed to lure him, too.

"Nothing in the world can beat a face-to-face and straightforward conversation," he tells Bleacher Report.

"It undoubtedly makes a difference. Since our first contact, Juninho was transparent with me and my family, explaining the club's project and what they had in mind for me in the future. This approach played a huge part in my decision to join Lyon. From the very beginning, I felt welcomed here."

One of the first things Guimaraes asked Juninho was whether he could wear the No. 39 shirt in his new home.

It's the same taxi number his father, Dick Gomez, drove for more than two decades in Rio, sometimes travelling 448 kilometers with his wife, Marcia Moura, to watch their son play for Audax in Osasco, an industrial suburb of Sao Paulo, during the weekends.

With squad numbers in Ligue 1 not going beyond 30, Juninho had to ask the French Football authorities for special permission, which was eventually granted.

Guimaraes has repaid Juninho on the pitch and become an instant hit. He grabbed the headlines after his performance in the 1-0 win against Juventus in the UEFA Champions League and then in the 2-0 victory over Saint-Etienne in the Derby du Rhone.

"He was very well trained, something that is rare in Brazil," Juninho told RMC Sport in February.

"He has a lot of humility, always wants to learn and has this ability to see situations beforehand. When I arrived at the beginning of the season, I said that you need a player like him in front of the defense, who balances, provides rhythm, changes side, knows how to keep the ball from time to time.

"He's a really very good player and has the potential to become a great one." 

Suddenly, as local Lyon newspaper Le Progres wrote, "Guimaraes-mania" was in full swing. He has been described as the most impressive midfielder to have featured for OL since the Portuguese Tiago Mendes in the mid-2000s.

France Football went even further: "There was a Lyon without Bruno Guimaraes during six long months and now there is a new one, much more attractive."

Bruno Guimarães, camisa 8 do Audax, distribuindo dribles em Barueri... https://t.co/xh1aTYBeRT

— Goleada Info (@goleada_info) January 8, 2017

Even his new team-mates fell in love with him at first sight. "He provides real importance to the team game. He puts in a lot of effort, he pushes between the lines and constantly offers solutions for our defenders," fellow midfielder Houssem Aouar explained in March. "The whole team game is more fluid with him in it."

Guimaraes managed to make such an impact after only five games, right before the coronavirus pandemic disrupted all sporting events.

He can't help but to consider himself "the most hurt footballer by the pandemic," especially as Ligue 1 has been cancelled despite many other leagues slowly returning to action. 

At the time football was first suspended across Europe, Guimaraes had earned his first call-up to Brazil's senior team and was starting to make waves abroad. He was hoping to lead Lyon to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals and end what had been a memorable season with a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

On top of all that, he is already reportedly on Barcelona's radar after impressing the during his side's 1-0 victory over the Catalans' former rival Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus in February, according to Spanish newspaper AS.

And then, in the blink of an eye, he had to put all this on hold.

"It has been very complicated," Guimaraes admits.

"Playing in the Champions League has always been my desire. I finally had this opportunity, we did well, but now we don't know when we will get to play the second leg [against Juventus]. I'm looking forward for all this to be over, so we can be able to go back to what we love as soon as possible.

"I have no doubt that the decision to not resume the Ligue 1 can affect our preparation for the game. We have to wait for UEFA and maintain our form until then.

"Regardless of that, every day I'm more confident that I've made the right choice by signing for Lyon."

Guimaraes' dream start to life hardly came as a shock to those who witnessed his meteoric rise in Brazil.

Over the past year, scouts from several European big guns were invited to watch him play in Athletico Paranaense President Mario Celso Petraglia's box in Curitiba. Among them was a representative from Chelsea, who have close ties with Giuliano Bertolucci, one of Guimaraes' agents.

Arsenal held talks through sporting director Edu Gaspar as well, but they were not prepared to make an offer during the winter transfer window.

For some time, the Premier League seemed like the natural destination for a prodigy. Despite playing in a deeper role, Guimaraes has been compared to Manchester City maestro Kevin De Bruyne. But any move to England will have to wait a little.

"I used to take English classes at Athletico. As soon as I got to Lyon, however, the club spoke to me about learning the French language as fast as I can. I can already say a few things and understand others. It's an important step to fully adapt," Guimaraes explains.

Wherever his future takes him, he's surely primed to assume a leading role on the pitch. 

"We currently lack a midfielder who can distribute balls. Someone like [Paulo Roberto] Falcao in the past. Or like De Bruyne nowadays, capable of playing sometimes lower to help Casemiro, sometimes higher to bring more binding, creativity, speed and rhythm," Brazil coach Tite told France Football of his side in March.

"Bruno has enormous potential and can be that player."

The No. 39 would need to fill a void that others like Barcelona's Arthur, City's Fernandinho, Liverpool's Fabinho and Manchester United's Fred have been unable to in the national team. He's at the top of a list of candidates that also includes Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz, Gremio's Matheus Henrique and Flamengo's Gerson.

It's just another challenge for the boy whose talent has already seen clubs fight for him in the skies, and any interested parties will inevitably face similar competition in the near future.

                                       

Follow Marcus on Twitter: @_marcus_alves

Lyon striker Moussa Dembele has ruled out a January transfer, seemingly putting an end to the rumours linking him with Chelsea and Manchester United. 

Per Goal's Jon Fisher, the Frenchman said he wants to put his full focus on what happens on the pitch: "I am a Lyon player, and I will remain so until the end of the season. I do not think there will be a departure this winter. Lots of things are being said, but it's up to me to ignore that and remain concentrated on the pitch."

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has repeatedly ruled out a transfer throughout the January window, per Get French Football News:

Lyon President Aulas: "Moussa Dembélé will not leave because he wants to stay to win something here... we have received offers for him." https://t.co/XAgWiUjVzb

— Get French Football News (@GFFN) January 8, 2020

Lyon President Aulas: "We want to keep Moussa Dembélé and Lucas Tousart. My opinion is that the two players will stay. Now is not the time to weaken ourselves."

— Get French Football News (@GFFN) January 21, 2020

The 23-year-old has been a regular subject of speculation for some time, and the rumours have intensified given the clear need both Premier League giants have at the position.

United lost Marcus Rashford to a back injury and were already struggling for depth prior to the setback. Chelsea have been overly reliant on Tammy Abraham, who had to be helped off the pitch after the 2-2 draw against Arsenal.

Dembele has a longer track record of success than either player, dating back to his Fulham days. He bagged 15 goals in the Championship during his first full season as a starter, earning a transfer to Scottish giants Celtic.

The youngster made a big impact in Glasgow:

His success in Scotland led to a return to France in 2018, and he brought his shooting boots with him, netting 15 goals in his first Ligue 1 campaign.

He's up to 11 goals already this season, playing a crucial role for Lyon. Les Gones find themselves in a tight race for a top-four finish and sit three points behind fourth-placed Nantes.

Aulas is unlikely to sell one of his star men in midseason, especially after Memphis Depay suffered a severe knee injury in December. According to the Guardian's Adam White and Eric Devin, he will miss the rest of the season.

Lyon have found their groove since the setback, winning six of their last seven matches across all competitions. That strong run of form makes it even less likely Aulas will tinker with his squad.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has made it clear the club will not entertain offers for star forward Moussa Dembele this month. 

The striker is one of the top goalscorers in French football and has been regularly linked with a move away from Lyon. Both Manchester United and Chelsea have been noted as possible suitors.

If Lyon were to lose the striker it would be a big blow to their campaign, but Aulas has said there's no chance of the Ligue 1 giants entertaining any offer for the former Celtic sharpshooter, per RMC (h/t Alex Richards of the Daily Mirror).

"We have not changed our minds. We already made this issue clear in August. Moussa is an excellent player. A player who we need. 

"We are taking explicit measures in our recruitment to not bring someone in who will compete for his position. It is not a question of money. Moussa will be with us."

According to Sky Sports News, Chelsea have already lodged an offer of £34 million for the striker in this window, although that bid was rejected by Lyon.

Sky Sports also reported that United want to sign a striker this month, and Dembele is on their list of targets. The Red Devils are said to be interested in Wolverhampton Wanderers star Raul Jimenez too.

The Lyon man has been one of the standout performers for an inconsistent team this term, netting 11 Ligue 1 goals, including two in his last two games. The most recent was this winner in the clash against Bordeaux:

Another Lyon goal for Moussa Dembele 🙌

This is why Tottenham and Chelsea are interested 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CPeiAxxwoi

— GOAL (@goal) January 13, 2020

Per OptaJean, the striker has settled well to life at Groupama Stadium:

10 - Moussa Dembélé is the first player to score at least 10 goals in each of his first 2 seasons with Lyon in Ligue 1 since Bafétimbi Gomis & Lisandro López in 2009/10 & 2010/11. Surgical. @OL_English pic.twitter.com/PP7T4eOLyz

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) November 23, 2019

Having shone at Celtic, Dembele moved to Lyon in the summer of 2018 and found the step up relatively straightforward.

Although there are still areas of his game where improvement is required, Dembele is a natural goalscorer, scoring 15 times in the top flight last term. 

Dembele comes alive when the ball is in the penalty area:

Moussa Dembele in Ligue 1 since joining Lyon:

🥇 Most penalties won
🥈 2nd-most goals scored
🥈 2nd-most shots inside the box

First in five of the six categories on the graphic? Kylian Mbappe. 🙃 pic.twitter.com/TZ5Prqv8tr

— William Hill (@WilliamHill) January 9, 2020

All indications are that he'll be at Lyon as he continues to make improvements, with Aulas adamant the France youth international won't be on the move. After selling the likes of Nabil Fekir and Tanguy Ndombele in the summer, they won't be under major pressure to cash in on any more assets.

Lyon would miss the striker's goalscoring instincts. They are currently down in seventh place in the French top flight but just four points back on Rennes in third.

Ligue 1 side Lyon have said they are counting on striker Moussa Dembele amid speculation Chelsea could try to land the 23-year-old in the January transfer window. 

The French club issued a statement making it clear they have no interest in selling one of their most important players:

"Olympique Lyonnais has taken note of certain information relayed by the media suggesting that Moussa Dembele could interest other clubs during this transfer window. OL would like to reaffirm its wish, as in the summer of 2019, to keep Moussa Dembele. The club has full confidence in Moussa and counts in particular on him to build a successful team for the seasons to come."

Dembele moved to Lyon from Celtic in 2018 and has been a big hit with the Ligue 1 side. The striker netted 19 times in all competitions for the club last season as they finished in third place in the table.

Moussa Dembele: Only Kylian Mbappe (32) has scored more goals from open play than @MDembele_10 (16) in Ligue 1 since the start of the 2018/19 season

For more player stats -- https://t.co/5Qg9YB4KUt pic.twitter.com/yMxWr1aXcP

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) August 20, 2019

The Frenchman has continued his prolific form in 2019-20. He has 10 goals in Ligue 1 so far, only Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe and Monaco's Wissam Ben Yedder have more.

Chelsea are reportedly interested in the striker and have had a £34 million bid rejected by Lyon, according to Foot Mercato (h/t Rhys Daly at the Daily Express).

Sky Sports News have reported that manager Frank Lampard sees Dembele as a similar player to Blues legend Didier Drogba and has been "tracking" the youngster for some time.

Lampard has suggested he could look to strengthen in January:

Lampard reiterates that Chelsea “have to improve if we can” in January and adds that he’ll be recommending names, though recruitment is a collective effort #cfc

— Liam Twomey (@liam_twomey) December 13, 2019

Chelsea look likely to try and reinforce their attack. The Blues have struggled to kill off games this season, while Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuyai have barely featured and could be allowed to depart.

There are also doubts over veteran wingers Pedro and Willian. Both players are into their thirties and out of contract at the club in the summer.

Dembele is not the only attacker rumoured to be interesting Chelsea. Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho and Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha have also been linked, per the Guardian's David Hytner.

However, Lampard has already played down a move for Zaha:

Lampard on Zaha: "I wouldn’t talk about Zaha and the idea of that [swap with Giroud] deal is something I have never even considered. As I say I won’t talk about Zaha because he is not a player of ours." #CFC

— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) January 1, 2020

Chelsea have handed Lampard £150 million to spend in January after their transfer ban was lifted, according to the Telegraph's Tom Morgan, Ben Rumsby and Matt Law. Bringing in more attacking talent is likely to be the team's focus in January, but Lyon have made it clear interest in Dembele is unwelcome.

Lyon forward Memphis Depay's season appears to be over, with club doctors reportedly fearing he tore his ACL in the 1-0 loss to Rennes on Sunday.

Sporting director Juninho told OL TV (h/t Get French Football News) Lyon expects the worst:

Breaking | Lyon Sporting Director Juninho: “We expect Memphis’ injury to be quite serious, we expect it to keep him out for the rest of the season.” (OL TV)

— Get French Football News (@GFFN) December 15, 2019

Martin Terrier replaced Depay after 46 minutes, when the match was still scoreless.

The 25-year-old has scored nine goals in Ligue 1 this season and has been the attacking leader for both Lyon and the Dutch national team. He had two goals and two assists in Nations League play.

His loss is a major blow for a club that has struggled in Ligue 1, where Lyon now sit five points behind Rennes in the race for the top four. The French side barely qualified for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League, beating Benfica and Zenit Saint Petersburg to second place in Group G by one point.

It's just as big a blow for the Netherlands, who could be without one of their best and most versatile forwards for next summer's UEFA Euro 2020 tournament. 

Manager Rudi Garcia will look to the likes of Moussa Dembele, Bertrand Traore and Maxwel Cornet to supply the attacking threat moving forward. Star prospect Houssem Aouar will also have to shoulder more responsibilities in attack.     

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has revealed the club has already talked Real Madrid star Karim Benzema's agent, and the French side are hopeful they can lure him back to his old stomping grounds.

Aulas spoke to BeIN Sports (h/t AS English), saying a move for the prolific striker is not impossible:

"Karim may be a possibility. We talked about it with [Benzema’s agent] Karim Djaziri last year. During that time, there have been a lot of changes at Real Madrid. He has immense talent. Furthermore, he is one of the best players France has.

"For that reason it’s not possible at this moment. But if the opportunity arises tomorrow or the day after… Juninho has already said as much and, generally speaking, when Juninho says he’ll get something done, it gets done."

Per the report, sporting director Juninho previously stated Lyon want Benzema to finish his career with the club and train some of its youngsters. According to AS, he will be offered the role of player-coach. His current contract expires in 2021.

Benzema spent over a decade at Lyon, both in the academy and as a star forward for the senior team. He moved to the Spanish capital in 2009 and has been a near-automatic starter for Los Blancos ever since.

Per AS, he's sixth on the list of all-time club scorers, needing just six goals to overtake Ferenc Puskas. The 31-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down in 2019:

Karim Benzema's LaLiga by numbers in 2019:

• 33 games
• 25 goals
• 8 assists

Only Lionel Messi has scored (30) and been directly involved (38) in more. #BallondOr https://t.co/c3dcKGfr2G

— Squawka (@Squawka) December 2, 2019

His tactical versatility has seen him find success as a secondary option playing next to Cristiano Ronaldo, but he's been just as effective as the primary scorer since the Portuguese star left for Juventus.

He has often reserved his best for the big stage, scoring at a remarkable rate in the UEFA Champions League:

While the forward is clearly still among the world's best, an eventual return to Lyon could be appealing. The ambitious Aulas has built a strong, young squad that could challenge for silverware soon, but some veteran leadership is needed.

Moussa Dembele, Houssem Aouar, Lucas Tousart and Joachim Andersen form a strong core of talented youngsters, while the likes of Memphis Depay and Jason Denayer can be difference-makers when form is on their side.

Their inexperience and lack of stability has led to an up-and-down season so far, however, and the team sits seventh in the Ligue 1 standings, 11 points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain.

An experienced veteran like Benzema could be the missing puzzle piece, and after 10 years in Madrid, the Frenchman could be open to a new challenge, back where it all began for him.

Jose Mourinho has reportedly turned down an approach to manage Ligue 1 giants Lyon after they sacked coach Sylvinho on Monday.

According to French radio station RMC (h/t Amitai Winehouse for MailOnline), the former Manchester United and Chelsea boss informed Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas he wants to find a future role in the Premier League because his family is already settled in England.

The Portuguese has been out of club management since departing Old Trafford last December and has spent time appearing as a television pundit.

Sylvinho was shown the exit door by Lyon after a run of one victory in nine games in all competitions. The Brazilian took the reins at the club last May, but assistant coach Gerald Baticle will now take temporary control.

Per RMC, Lyon could now target former Paris Saint-Germain manager Laurent Blanc as the club searches for a big name to fill the breach.

The seven-time French champions always have ambitions to win Ligue 1, but they sit 14th after the first nine matches. Lyon are only above the relegation play-off position on goal difference, and a title challenge appears impossible with leaders PSG 12 points clear of them.

Mourinho remains one of the biggest names in world football, but with none of the top English sides currently looking for a coach, the 56-year-old might have to wait longer for a suitable role to materialise.

Reported Manchester United target Moussa Dembele "will not go anywhere" during the current transfer window, according to Lyon manager Sylvinho. 

The Red Devils have previously been in contact with the 23-year-old's representatives over potentially bringing him to Old Trafford, according to Julien Maynard of Telefoot:

Manchester United have been in ongoing contact with Lyon striker Moussa Dembélé's entourage for several weeks, but the Red Devils are waiting for squad departures before making another concrete move, according to @JulienMaynard.

— Get French Football News (@GFFN) July 29, 2019

Sylvinho, though, has now made it clear that Dembele will not leave the Groupama Stadium, per L'Equipe (h/t Get French Football News):

Lyon manager Sylvinho unequivocal on the future of striker Moussa Dembélé in L'Équipe tomorrow: "He will not go anywhere, that window is closed."

— Get French Football News (@GFFN) July 30, 2019

It is hardly surprising Lyon are not prepared to let Dembele go. He only joined the Ligue 1 club from Celtic last August and netted 15 goals in his debut season in the French top flight.

United are not the only club who have been linked with the youngster this summer. Liverpool, Arsenal and Barcelona were also reported to have enquired about the former Fulham forward, per L'Equipe (h/t Sport Witness).

The quality of the clubs linked with Dembele is an indication of just how highly rated he is, and Lyon are likely eager to keep him for at least one more season.

After finishing third in Ligue 1 last term, Lyon are able to offer the France youth international UEFA Champions League football again next season, a key factor in the club's favour.

Dembele also has a contract with the French club that runs to 2023, so Lyon have no need to cash in on him just yet.

Should he enjoy another prolific campaign in 2019-20, there are likely to be similarly high-profile clubs interested again next summer.