Lyon coach Remi Garde has admitted that a lack of time to prepare and the quality of their opponents mean that his side will have a tough encounter against Grasshopper Zurich in their Champions League qualifier on Tuesday.
Garde said, however, that despite their pre-season being cut short by the qualifiers, his side are ready for the new campaign.
"We haven't had much time as, but we're not here to complain," Ligue1.com quotes Garde as saying. "Every team has their own set of obstacles to overcome.
"[Grasshoppers] are not here by chance. They pushed Basel all the way to the Swiss title last season, they are well-organised and well-disciplined. I don't know how they will play against us, but they are capable of sitting deep and hitting very quickly on the counter-attack.
"We have worked very well and the spirit within the camp has been excellent. We moved very quickly towards working on the intensity to get closer to match conditions. I think we're ready. The 2-2 friendly match with Real Madrid was a good chance to get up to speed."
Garde's Lyon finished third in Ligue 1 last season.
Matt Domm
