The Champions League remains a great goal for Lyon: former NBA star Parker sets ambitious goals

Lyon should aim to be a major force in the Champions League, believes Tony Parker, a former NBA star.

The four-time NBA champion has moved on to managing the sport since retiring from his athletic career and is currently on the ASVEL city basketball team.

One day was destined to take the reins of the giants of Ligue 1 Lyon from the current president Jean-Michel Aulas, and it is his goal to build a team that is a force on a continental scene.

“The club won many titles in the first decade of the century, but it has been a long time since they were champions of France,” he said RMC of the team that won Le Championnat in 2008.

“The Champions League always remains an important goal. We must try to regain the title of French champions and continue to grow the club.

“With the news stage, once the loan has been paid, we will have more means to put on the team. We must continue to be patient, many things must be put in place.

“In three or four years, we will try to create an even more competitive team.”

Parker, meanwhile, admits that he has a steep learning curve to follow if he takes care of OL one day.

“We have already started with the acquisition of the women’s club in Seattle,” stressed OL Reign.

“There are 50,000 things to manage in a club. I am fortunate to have someone like Aulas who is ready to show me all these things in a publicly traded club.

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“I don’t want to check everything. I want to have a global vision. In football, if I came to work 100% tomorrow, the first thing I would do would be to surround myself with football minds. “

Lyon have faced a difficult season in Ligue 1 and are facing a fight to get involved in European football throughout the coming season.

To reach the Champions League, they will have to win the current edition, in which they lead Juventus 1-0 after the first round of their last 16 draw, while the Europa League remains a possibility if they overcome Paris Saint-Germain in the Coupe final de la Ligue of 31 July.