The Fans Football Blog3

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Olympique Lyon is interested in a return of Barcelona left back defender and French international Eric Abidal (29) at the end of this season (read more here).

Lyon manager Claude Puel, who worked before with Abidal at Monaco and Lille between 2001 and 2004, would have urged his club to resign the Frenchman. The French champions have planned to ask for Abidal a first time during the Champions League tie with Barcelona.

Asked about the continuous rumours about a return to his former club, Abidal, whose current contract expires in 2011, has said in an interview with Catalan sports paper Sport that he could well play again for Lyon one day, although this is not the time:

"I cannot rule out returning to Lyon sooner or later. Lyon will always be Lyon... It' s a natural thing, human, there's loyalty involved. I know the club well, the president, the coach, Claude Puel, who believed in me when I was a young player. Lyon was the only club I wanted to avoid in the Champions League draw.

I know the door is open there, but at this moment it's not possible. I'm feeling very good at Barcelona and I don't think about leaving the club. I actually never thought one second about leaving Barcelona. I know where I am and what I want to achieve with this club."

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has meanwhile said in an interview with French sports paper L'Equipe earlier this week that his club is planning to make serious investments during the coming years:

"There has been decided that our priority is to come closer to the European top. So for the next three years we will not worry too much about the financial results. The sporting results will be the priority and we will try to get better whatever it costs. It's a change of strategy given the current circumstances. We have the means to make the difference in this period of global crisis. We will invest. It's the coach who will decide, he has the responsibility to make the best choices."

Read more:
Milan interested in Abidal
First contact with CSKA on left winger Zhirkov
Lyon interested in Abidal return