The Lyon Revenants

There's the unwritten rule in football that you should never go back. For players and coaches alike, it's usually not a good idea to return to one's former club as it usually leads to unrealistic expectations and comparisons. But often it's the easiest way – to return to the place you know and where everyone knows and loves you.

To Alexandre Lacazette, the place where he's universally adored is Lyon. The former France international left OL to join Arsenal four and a half years ago. And if you ask the French club's president Jean-Michel Aulas, he'd love to have the attacker back at Groupama Arena.

Sat 23.00: (2.05) Monaco (3.60) Olympique Lyon (3.80)

Aulas conceded that while the club have often dreamed of the return of Karim Benzema from Real Madrid - but also a few others."We'll do everything possible to bring some of our former players back. In the current context, Lacazette is more accessible than Benzema. All those who may come back are players we have no doubts about their qualities, we know them perfectly, and their mentality, like Lacazette. Knowledge is mutual and the risk is lower when it's an old player who returns."

While they wait for some of their proven attackers to come back home, they've already taken Tanguy Ndombele on loan from Tottenham Hotspur - two and a half years after selling the midfielder for $66 million.

Lacazette's contract at Arsenal will expire at the end of the season and it doesn't look like he'll be extending his stay with the Gunners.

The 16-times capped Frenchman scored 129 goals in 275 matches in all competitions for Lyon after breaking into the first team in the 2009-2010 campaign. With Arsenal he has scored 70 goals in 192 games, winning the FA Cup and finishing runner-up in the Europa League in 2018/2019.

Another player who could be heading back to Lyon is midfielder Corentin Tolisso, who joined Bayern Munich in 2017.

Perhaps it really is bad to go back - but in Lyon, they simply love their heroes too much to resist.