Henrique Silva credits Pierre Sage for making Lyon stars 'look at football in a more intelligent way'

Henrique Silva has lauded Pierre Sage for the impact he has had at Lyon since taking over from Fabio Grosso at the end of November.

The Frenchman was in charge of the Lyon academy at the time of Grosso’s dismissal before becoming the interim manager of the first team and then being given the role until the end of the season.

Sage’s appointment sparked an upturn in results and performances so it’s little wonder he was tasked with seeing out this campaign. After just one win in 12 under Grosso, Sage has led Lyon to five victories in all competitions in nine games at the helm, which has taken them out of Ligue 1’s automatic relegation spots and into the last 16 of the French Cup.

Asked what has changed under the 44-year-old, left-back Henrique told TNT Sports: “We talk a lot. When he arrived, he introduced a lot of new things. He makes us look at football in a more intelligent way. He's at the head of the team, he manages everything, but the staff are also very important.

“He brings us a lot of value during the week, particularly with video. These are things that may seem simple, but they make a lot of difference during matches.

“For example, he'll explain the different positions our bodies need to be in to press an opponent or to control the ball in the direction of play. Sometimes he does this by showing us videos from training.

“He tells us how to make the decision to go forward or go backwards. These are just details. But we feel it has an impact.

“The other advantage is that the coach is accessible, he talks and takes the time to discuss things with the players. He often takes the initiative to go and talk to the players and tell us what he thinks. That made a big difference when he arrived.”

On a personal level, Henrique scored his first goal for the club since his arrival in the summer of 2021. The game ended in defeat for Lyon, who trailed 3-0 at half-time at home to Rennes before fighting back to make it 3-2, but it marked a significant moment in the 29-year-old’s career.

“Over the last two weeks, I've had a difficult time on a personal level and I started this match on the bench,” he continued.

“Afterwards, when you score at the Groupama, in a full stadium, in that atmosphere... I was happy, I celebrated, but I quickly came back so we could try to score again.”

Lyon have been boosted by the arrival of some reinforcements over winter. Many acquisitions can often unsettle squads, but Henrique heaped praise on the likes of Nemanja Matic, Malick Fofana, Gift Orban and his fellow Brazilians Adryelson and Lucas Perri.

“There have been a lot of new players, but above all there have been good players,” Henrique said. “That's what we quickly noticed in training and in their first matches.

“What's important is that they have the right mentality. And I think that's the most important thing. These are players who have experienced great things at their previous clubs. And we hope that this will be good for the squad.”

As for who has impressed the most, he added: “That's a difficult question. Some arrived earlier than others.

“Matic has only just arrived but we've already seen that he has some pretty incredible qualities. What's more, they all play in different positions.

“What's certain is that all these positions have been strengthened with very good players. I think that's raised the level of the squad and the team.”

While Lyon are a team on the up, they’ll be desperate to arrest a run of back-to-back defeats when they welcome seventh-placed Marseille on Sunday.

It’s always a big game but given the precarious position Lyon find themselves in, it has taken on extra significance.

Asked if it was the biggest game of the season, Henrique said: “Yes, I think so. It's one of the most important games of the season.

“We know it's a special match in this context, but also in the club's history. It's a game that can change everything for the team and the atmosphere. It's a vital clash for the championship.”

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