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Slimmest chance enough motivation for Lyon

Rémi Garde will send out his Olympique Lyonnais side at GNK Dinamo Zagreb with the belief they can still qualify despite admitting "everything needs to go our way" on matchday six.

Lyon coach Rémi Garde spoke positively ahead of his side's matchday six contest against Dinamo
Lyon coach Rémi Garde spoke positively ahead of his side's matchday six contest against Dinamo ©Getty Images

Rémi Garde acknowledged "everything needs to go our way" when  Olympique Lyonnais visit GNK Dinamo Zagreb as the French side bid to avoid missing out on the knockout rounds for the first time since 2002/03.

Lyon travel to Croatia aiming to overhaul Group D's second-placed side, AFC Ajax, whom they trail by three points. Garde's men need Ajax to lose at home to section winners Real Madrid CF, while defeating Dinamo and overturning a seven-goal differential. A steep task, but one Garde believes is possible and one home coach Krunoslav Jurčić feels could mean a change of approach from the visitors.

Dinamo Zagreb
Coach Krunoslav Jurčić

I expect my players to give everything they have left. It is the end of a long autumn campaign and we have played a lot of games, but we need to give our best against Lyon. We need to look like a real team and to make a decent impression.

Lyon are a very solid, strong team with some top-quality individual players. We know that Lyon have a chance of finishing second in the group so maybe they will change their style. I will bear that in mind when I prepare for the match, but I don't think they will change their tactics significantly. A draw in the last match would be a reward for us; I hope we can at least do that.

Weekend result
Saturday: HNK Cibalia 2-2 Dinamo (Koledić 20, Kresinger 87; Kovačić 54, Ibáñez 75)
Kelava; Vrsaljko, Vida, Cufré (Ademi 80), Ibáñez; Calello, Badelj, Alispahić (Krstanović 46), Tomečak (Kovačić 46), Sammir; Rukavina

• Dinamo were held in their final domestic outing of the year; the Croatian champions will resume their First League defence on 18 February six points clear at the summit.

Team news
Leandro Cufré (hamstring) and Tonel (hamstring) have joined Josip Šimunić (calf) on the sidelines to leave Dinamo with a real defensive quandary. Jurčić said: "I am preparing one of two midfielders to play in central defence, Jerko Leko or Arijan Ademi."

Lyon
Coach Rémi Garde

We really hope that everything goes our way, but it is more realistic to try and score as many goals as possible and defeat Dinamo. We still believe we can reach the next phase. I will not try and find out the score from the other match [Ajax v Madrid] during the first half, I will wait until half-time.

I will not change our 4-4-2 formation as it's not about formations here, and some other things will be more important. I feel responsible and will be sad if we don't reach the next phase as we are always expecting good results.

Weekend result
Sunday: Lyon 3-2 Toulouse FC (B Koné 38, Ederson 52, Lisandro 66pen; Umut Bulut 68, Sissoko 75pen)
Lloris; Réveillère, Cris, B Koné, Cissokho; Källström (Grenier 86), Gonalons; Briand, Ederson (Fofana 76), Bastos; Lisandro (Gomis 77)

• A late inclusion after Dejan Lovren's injury, Bakary Koné scored his first Ligue 1 goal as Lyon claimed their 800th top-flight victory.

Team news
Lovren sat out the Toulouse game after picking up a thigh injury in the pre-match warm-up. Rémy Vercoutre (foot), Anthony Lopes (ankle), John Mensah (calf) and Yannis Tafer (foot) are long-term absentees.

Match fact
Lovren came through Dinamo's youth system before joining Lyon in January 2010.