All is seemingly not well in the Lyon camp as they prepare to
head to Manchester United for their crucial Champions League second
round second leg on Tuesday.
The French champions will arrive in England with disharmony in
the camp, after arguably their two most important players failed to
shake hands.
Karim Benzema, scorer of Lyon’s goal in the first leg, was
substituted for Hatem Ben Arfa during Lyon’s 1-0 victory over Lille
on Saturday.
Benzema cut a sulky figure as he skulked off the pitch at Stade
Gerland, choosing not to shake hands with his 20-year-old team-mate
as he left the pitch.
The duo’s fiery relationship is well-known in France, although
Benzema insists Saturday’s incident was due to his frustration with
manager Alain Perrin.
Perrin played the striker out on the left wing, and Benzema made
it quite clear he is not prepared to be marginalised in the team
line-up.
"I was upset because I take no pleasure in this position," he
was quoted as saying on Goal.com.
"Everyone has accepted the fact that I didn't shake hands with
Hatem, but this has nothing to do with him."
