International

Olympique Lyonnais unveils travel roster for international game against the Impact

Olympique Lyonnais XI partant vs Marseille

MONTREAL, Quebec – The Montreal Impact will face Olympique Lyonnais (OL), French first division club (Ligue 1), this Tuesday, July 24, at 7:30pm (ET), at Stade Saputo. The international matchup is presented by Vidéotron and TVA Sports, in collaboration with the Ligue de football professionnel (France).


Tickets for the game are still available for this international event at a cost of only $25 or less via the Admission Network and the Stade Saputo ticket office. Hot dogs will be specially priced at $1 from 6 to 7:30pm.


Free public practice


OL, winner of this year's French Cup, will be in North America to face Montpellier Hérault SC, France Champion, on July 28, at Red Bull Arena, to play for the 2012 Champions Trophy.


The game in Montreal will be the third in a series of four friendly matchups for OL in preparation for its 2012-2013 season. In its first exhibition game played on July 13, the team fell to Athletic Bilbao by a 2-1 score. Olympique Lyonnais will face Real Sociedad tomorrow at noon (ET).


OL will arrive in Montreal on Monday, and will hold a free public practice at Stade Saputo, from 6 to 7pm. The stadium doors will open at 5pm.


OL unveil travel roster


A travelling roster of 24 players was announced today by head coach Rémi Garde, including all the regular players. Hugo Lloris, starting goalkeeper and captain of the French National Team, French midfielder Yoann Gourcuff, as well as Argentine forward Lisandro López, who scored 25 goals last season, including 16 in the league, have all made the trip. So has Brazilian defender Cris, who serves as the team’s captain, Brazilian midfielder Michel Bastos and French forwards Jimmy Briand and Bafétimbi Gomis, who finished last season with 14 goals, will all be in Montreal next week.


Founded in 1950, Olympique Lyonnais is one of the most successful clubs in France, having won seven consecutive titles, a national record, from 2001-2002 to 2007-2008.


The club finished the 2011-2012 season in fourth place in Ligue 1, and added a fifth French Cup by beating Quevilly 1-0, on April 28, at the Stade de France.


Over the years, the Impact has organized successful friendly games against River Plate (Argentina), Bordeaux (France), Fiorentina (Italy) and AC Milan (Italy).


Roster list

<p>PLAYER</p>
<p>POSITION</p>
<p>&nbsp;NATIONALITY</p>
<p>BASTOS, Michel</p>
<p>Midfielder</p>
<p>Brazil</p>
<p>BENZIA, Yassine</p>
<p>Forward</p>
<p>France</p>
<p>BRIAND, Jimmy</p>
<p>Forward</p>
<p>France</p>
<p>CISSOKHO, Aly</p>
<p>Defender</p>
<p>France</p>
<p>CRIS, Cristiao Marques</p>
<p>Defender</p>
<p>Brazil</p>
<p>DABO, Mouhamadou</p>
<p>Defender</p>
<p>France</p>
<p>FERRI, Jordan</p>
<p>Midfielder</p>
<p>France</p>
<p>FOFANA, Gueida</p>
<p>Midfielder</p>
<p>France</p>
<p>GOMIS, Baf&eacute;timbi</p>
<p>Forward</p>
<p>France</p>
<p>GONALONS, Maxime</p>
<p>Midfielder</p>
<p>France</p>
<p>GOURCUFF, Yoann</p>
<p>Midfielder</p>
<p>France</p>
<p>GRENIER, Cl&eacute;ment</p>
<p>Midfielder</p>
<p>France</p>
<p>KALLSTROM, Kim</p>
<p>Midfielder</p>
<p>Sweden</p>
<p>KON&Eacute;, Bakary</p>
<p>Defender</p>
<p>Burkina Faso</p>
<p>LACAZETTE, Alexandre</p>
<p>Forward</p>
<p>France</p>
<p>LLORIS, Hugo</p>
<p>Goalkeeper</p>
<p>France</p>
<p>LOPES, Anthony</p>
<p>Goalkeeper</p>
<p>Portugal</p>
<p>LOPEZ, Lisandro</p>
<p>Forward</p>
<p>Argentina</p>
<p>PIED, J&eacute;r&eacute;my</p>
<p>Forward</p>
<p>France</p>
<p>REALE, Enzo</p>
<p>Midfielder</p>
<p>France</p>
<p>R&Eacute;VEILL&Egrave;RE, Anthony</p>
<p>Defender</p>
<p>France</p>
<p>UMTITI, Samuel</p>
<p>Defender</p>
<p>France</p>
<p>VERCOUTRE, R&eacute;my</p>
<p>Goalkeeper</p>
<p>France</p>
<p>ZEFFANE, Medhi</p>
<p>Defender</p>
<p>France</p>