Gonalons: From hospital bed to Lyon hero
Reuters - Wednesday 21 October 2009, 09:41
LYON - Maxime Gonalons' long recovery
from a career-threatening foot infection was richly rewarded at
Anfield on Tuesday when the young substitute inspired Olympique
Lyon to a 2-1 Champions League win over Liverpool.
The 20-year-old Lyon-born midfielder feared the worse in
July last year when a blister became infected and at one stage
his condition was so grave, doctors thought they might have to
amputate his foot.
Gonalons was fortunate enough to overcome the infection,
although it did take eight months for him to regain his full
fitness.
"I think the fact that I found myself not very far from
death gave me a lot of mental strength," he told reporters
after Tuesday's victory that put Lyon on the brink of
qualification from Group E.
Normally employed as a defensive midfielder, Gonalons was
asked by coach Claude Puel to stand in for centre back Cris
after the Brazilian was stretchered off following a collision
with Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt.
"I was calm when I came on," Gonalons added. "I didn't let
the emotion of playing at Anfield for the first time affect
me."
Displaying maturity beyond his years from the moment he
joined the fray, he capped a faultless performance by heading a
72nd minute equaliser.
"I saw the ball coming and I didn't ask myself any
questions," he said of his first goal for Lyon. "After scoring
I just didn't know where to go to celebrate. I'll remember this
all my life."
Lyon had defensive problems before Cris got injured with
Jean-Alain Boumsong, Mathieu Bodmer and Cleber Anderson all
sidelined. As a result, Gonalons was paired in central defence
with another midfielder, Jeremy Toulalan.
"I'm not used to playing in that position but with Jeremy,
we talked a lot and did what he had to," Gonalons said.
Cesar Delgado sealed the surprise victory in stoppage time
and Lyon now need just a home draw against Liverpool on November 4
to advance to the knockout stages.
"We need to congratulate Maxime Gonalons for that," Lyon
goalkeeper Hugo Lloris told reporters. "He was magnificent."