According to L'Équipe, since joining Olympique de Lyon on loan from Juventus this season, 26-year-old Belgian forward Lois Openda has regained consistent playing time and confidence. After a difficult season at Juventus, he declared in an interview that he hopes to rediscover his goal-scoring effectiveness at Olympique de Lyon and that he is now "very happy".

Reporter: After leaving Lens, you played two seasons at RB Leipzig. Why did you choose to join Juventus? There was strong competition in attack, and you even ended up playing as left winger.

Openda: "I played two seasons at RB Leipzig (2023-2025). The first season was fantastic; I scored 28 goals and provided 7 assists across all competitions. We played in a 4-2-2-2 formation with very quick transitions. In the second season, we didn't qualify for European competition, finishing seventh, and I scored 13 goals and provided 5 assists".

"In the first season, I played as a centre-forward. In the second season, due to injuries to Xavi Simons and other players, I had to play more behind Benjamin Šeško. That wasn't my preferred position; I had to drop very deep and then run the length of the field. Later, Marco Rose was sacked, and my relationship with the new manager didn't develop very well".

Reporter: Were you already considering leaving RB Leipzig in summer 2025?

Openda: "During preseason, I spoke with Damien Comolli. He explained how he planned to use me in a league where it's not easy to play. In Italy, Inter Milan is really good at attacking space in behind, and AS Roma is also starting to pay more attention to this".

Reporter: Did you speak with the then-manager, Igor Tudor?

Openda: "The manager wanted me. However, in that position, there were also Dušan Vlahović and Jonathan David, as well as Arkadiusz Milik".

"I felt that Jonathan David and I complemented each other very well. He's an excellent player, technically superb, and plays very unselfishly. I can attack space in behind, and he can drop to receive the ball. But the manager rotated his forwards, and then he himself was sacked".

"The team wasn't accustomed to using a player who frequently attacked space in behind, whereas Vlahović was better at holding the ball. Since we didn't know each other initially, we specifically practiced these running combinations in training. Of course, there were also times when I was deployed on the left wing".

Reporter: Did you give up mentally at that point?

Openda: "I kept fighting for my opportunities, and I had some. But by the end of the season, I understood that if I wanted more playing time, I needed to look for other options".

"I worked with my mental coach on cognitive aspects so I could react to any situation. I never gave up; I was always ready to come on as a substitute at any moment. This mentality actually aligns well with Juventus's DNA, because there, the objective is to win everything".

Reporter: Was joining Juventus a mistake?

Openda: "I didn't make a mistake. This experience allowed me to work on things I wouldn't have even considered before, like playing in different positions, or knowing I was ready but still not being able to play".

"Juventus is a very big European club, so mentally, you also have to be able to handle these situations. I was very clear about what I chose at that time. I'm confident that under different circumstances, that experience could have gone much more smoothly".

"I don't regret my choice. If it really was a mistake, I wouldn't be at Olympique de Lyon today, because Olympique de Lyon is also a big team".

Reporter: This summer, Juventus wanted to sell you to England to generate more transfer revenue...

Openda: "For me, the most important aspect is the sporting side. My contract with Juventus runs until June 2030. I was looking for a place where I could make a fresh start, get playing time, and score goals".

"During the break, I often spoke with Fonseca. He really wanted me, and that was decisive. From the start, I met with Mathieu Louis-Jean, the sporting director, and his attitude was very clear. He made a personal effort and did everything he could".

"I rarely see someone work so hard to sign a player. If I were Mathieu, I would have given up already. But he kept trying until the last day of my transfer, and that also showed me how much the club, the management, and everyone here wanted me".

"I know I'll develop well here. My family has also been very well received. Now I'm in a very healthy environment and very happy with my choice".

Reporter: Were you surprised to be able to get immediate game time after joining Olympique de Lyon?

Openda: "I trained a lot during the last five months when I wasn't playing in Turin because I had to stay fit and continue preparing myself".

"Although I had a very poor season, I couldn't let my fitness drop too much because of it. This year in Italy didn't go well for me, but any player would want to go to Juventus, and a player's career can't be a straight line from beginning to end; sometimes you simply have to go through these things".

"I prefer to experience these things at 26 and then recover".

Reporter: Have you come to terms with not being selected for the World Cup?

Openda: "It hurt a lot, because I actually had a feeling about it, and I saw many comments about me saying I wasn't playing for my club".

"But since I arrived at Olympique de Lyon, I've shown that I'm physically fit; the only thing missing is match rhythm. You can look at all my data: I run 6 to 7 kilometers in each training session, and playing 60 minutes in each match is no problem for me".

"I'm fortunate to have my family by my side. My second child was born in May, which allowed me to see things from a different perspective. I watched all the World Cup matches and then moved on".

"The national team situation is special. At this stage, the most important thing for me is to achieve something great with Olympique de Lyon. As for the Belgian national team, we'll see".

Reporter: How do you see the start of your season?

Openda: "My physical condition allows me to play continuously. Although I'm still not at 100% and can do better, I'm not going to put pressure on myself".

"I've always maintained my hunger for goals, and that's the most important thing. Scoring my first goal for Olympique de Lyon against Fenerbahçe made me feel as if I had just scored yesterday".

"That's when I realized I hadn't lost my confidence; I simply entered a state of 'keep playing, keep moving forward'".

Reporter: How do you currently view Olympique de Lyon's style of play, the club, and Fonseca?

Openda: "We have a very good squad, with a great mix of veterans and young players, possessing both talent and experience".

"Fonseca knows exactly what he wants and how to use his players, and he has a complete squad".

"I'm very clear about why I came here, because I know this team can help me improve, and I can also help the team".

"Our objective is to qualify for the Champions League. We have this opportunity again now, and we have the capacity to do it, so I want to experience all of this with all my strength".

"They gave me confidence and the chance to show my qualities again. I'm very happy here".

Traducido por IA.

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