Divorce in sight between OL and Sinaly Diomandé!

Nothing is better for Sinaly Diomandé at OL. Dismissed by Pierre Sage, the Ivorian defensive rock that has been the target of many critics since the beginning of the season wants to leave Lyon. Fortunately, OL no longer relies on him. A divorce seems inevitable this winter.

A little over four years after his arrival between Rhône and Saône, Sinaly Diomandé has never been so close to the exit. However, everything started so well. Remember: September 2019, OL announced the arrival of Sinaly Diomandé.

Trained at Jean-Marc Guillou’s Academy, Sinaly arrived at OL in September 2019 from Guidars FC (Mali) for €550.000. After a few months of adaptation spent in N2 with the reserve, his season was stopped by COVID and the interruption of competitions.

In September 2020, he made his professional debut under the leadership of Rudi Garcia and made 31 matches in all competitions with the club of Rhodanien and multiplied the capes in team of Cote d’Ivoire. Around a team composed of internationals (Depay, Aouar, Cornet, Slimani, Bruno Guimaraes, Jason Denayer, Lucas Paqueta, Leo Dubois), Diomandé has the experience, but is powerless to watch the contrasting season in Lyon (4th in Ligue 1, but well below the initial objectives. A place that Lyon fans would be happy with today.

The rest will be more complicated despite an extension of two seasons in 2021, and a serious injury that will keep him away from the courts for much of 2022. We have to wait for the arrival of Laurent Blanc at the head of OL to see the Ivorian international come back in the game and how he settled permanently in the defensive trio of Rhodanien with Castello Lukeba and Dejan Lovren.

But between OL’s recruitment problems, Lukeba’s departure to Germany, Dejan Lovren’s injuries and meanness, and Duje Caleta-Car’s adaptation difficulties, Diomandé becomes the pillar of a Lyon defence that is already in doubt and is taking water from all sides.

Pascal Amstrong