Lisandro, Fernandez honoured in French awards

Lyon striker Lisandro Lopez was elected France’s Ligue 1 Player of the Year by his peers during an end-of-season ceremony here on Sunday.

The 27-year-old Argentina international overcame opposition from Marseille captain Mamadou Niang, Bordeaux’s Marouane Chamakh and Lille’s Eden Hazard to succeed last year’s winner, Yoann Gourcuff of Bordeaux.

“I didn’t expect to integrate myself so quickly at Lyon,” said Lisandro.

“It’s gone really well from a personal and a team perspective. I hope it’s only going to get better.”

Lisandro joined Lyon from Porto for a club record 24 million euros last summer and has scored 14 league goals to date in his first season in France.

Lyon reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, where they were beaten by Bayern Munich, and are on course to secure the top-three finish they need to qualify for next season’s competition.

“It’s my second individual trophy,” Lisandro added. “I was already elected best player in Portugal.”

Asked about his chances of squeezing into Diego Maradona’s Argentina World Cup squad, he said: “I’m not expecting to be called up. My chances are minimal.”

Auxerre’s Jean Fernandez was elected Coach of the Year ahead of Bordeaux’s Laurent Blanc, Montpellier’s Rene Girard and Didier Deschamps, who earlier this week led Marseille to their first Ligue 1 title since 1992.

Fernandez has turned Auxerre into a well-drilled, counter-attacking side this term despite operating on a tight budget and they are currently third in the top flight with one match remaining.

Lisandro’s Lyon team-mate and France international Hugo Lloris was named Goalkeeper of the Year.

Highly rated Belgian international midfielder Hazard, 19, was named Young Player of the Year for the second season in succession.