Ex-Fenerbahçe player Valbuena on Lyon tie: 'Key player who can make a difference...'

Mathieu Valbuena, who has played for both Fenerbahçe and Lyon, shared his thoughts on the upcoming UEFA Champions League play-off tie between the two clubs with TRT Spor. He described the matchup as "very beautiful," anticipating two exciting games.

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We will watch two beautiful matches between Fenerbahçe and Lyon.

Valbuena highlighted Fenerbahçe's substantial investments during the transfer window, noting their ambition to return to the Champions League and win the league. He believes the team's transfers were both ambitious and intelligent, with particular emphasis on defensive reinforcements to address past vulnerabilities in conceding goals.

"Fenerbahçe has experienced players and I definitely think they have a chance to advance," Valbuena stated. He pointed to the potential impact of new signings like Greenwood and Lukaku, also mentioning Asensio, Guendouzi, and Kante as important additions to a balanced squad.

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Fenerbahçe had a strong transfer period. They made very serious investments this year. Lyon is a very good team accustomed to playing in European competitions, especially the Champions League. It will be a very beautiful matchup.

Specifically, Valbuena identified Greenwood as the "key player who can make a difference" in these two matches. He suggested that Greenwood, having previously played for Marseille, would be particularly motivated to perform against Lyon. Valbuena also praised Greenwood's technical quality and his ability to exploit open spaces.

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Fenerbahçe has experienced players and I definitely think they have a chance to advance.

Assessing Lyon, Valbuena acknowledged them as a "big club" whose advantage lies in playing the second leg at home. While noting their loss of experienced players in recent years, he recognized their strength in talented young players, complemented by veterans like team captain Tolisso. Valbuena described Tolisso as a high-quality player who dictates the team's tempo and contributes offensively.

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The transfers are both very ambitious and smart. They also made important moves in defense because Fenerbahçe could concede a lot of goals.