Crystal Palace return to the Parc Olympique Lyonnais on Thursday for a Europa League meeting with Lyon, with the match part of the 5.45pm BST kick-offs.
The fixture has particular significance for Pierre Sage. The 47-year-old was born around 90 minutes from Lyon and spent his amateur playing career on the outskirts of the city before beginning his coaching work at semi-professional club Lyon-Duchère.
Sage later joined Olympique Lyonnais as a youth coach in 2019. After a spell as assistant manager at Paris-based Red Star, he continued to progress through the coaching ranks and replaced Fabio Grosso as Lyon head coach in November 2023.
He led Lyon to Europa League qualification in the 2023-24 season before moving to Lens and then taking charge in south London. Palace’s visit therefore brings Sage back to the club and area where a significant part of his coaching career developed.
The match is one of several Europa League fixtures being followed from the early kick-offs, with Palace facing a Lyon side in a setting that is especially familiar to their manager.
