EXCLUSIVE: Orban admits to 'difficult' Lyon start after Arsenal loss

First-half goals from William Saliba and Gabriel powered the Gunners to a 2-0 victory over the Ligue 1 side, as Mikel Arteta’s men clinched the title for a record eighth time.

Les Gones gained confidence after the introduction of Mahamadou Diawara, Mama Balde, Ernest Nuamah and Orban. However, they were unable to mount a comeback.

The former Gent striker remains unphased by the result, emphasising that the ultimate goal is to see Pierre Sage’s men excel in the 2024/25 campaign.

“We're disappointed with the loss to Arsenal, but it was a challenging match against a formidable opponent,” Orban told Flashscore in an exclusive interview.

“Even though we gave it our all, we came up short. That's how football goes, but we've moved on from the loss.

“We'll keep putting in the hard work as the main target is to ensure we have a great season.”

The introduction of Orban for Georgian international Georges Mikautadze injected new energy into Lyon’s attack, causing the Arsenal defenders some challenging moments.

When asked if starting could have changed the outcome at the Emirates Stadium, he continued “You never know - if the manager had given me a spot in the starting lineup, I might have made the difference.

“We have a very good team and I am always ready to give my best whenever I am called upon to play.”

Orban admits to tough start at Lyon

Orban describes his first season at the club as challenging, as he struggled to adapt to life with the French top-tier team.

After an outstanding season with Belgian club Gent, the Benue-born striker was signed by the seven-time Ligue 1 champions in January 2024 for a reported fee of €12 million.

He managed just three goals in 16 appearances across all competitions, but greater expectations were placed on the Nigerian following his arrival at the Groupama Stadium.

Orban acknowledges that he initially struggled to adjust to his new environment but now feels settled and ready to contribute to the club's efforts to re-establish themselves as one of the top teams in Europe.

He added: "It was my first time at the club, and it was difficult to settle in because I was playing under a new manager and in a different environment.

"Not getting many minutes on the pitch made things even more challenging, but that's normal in football. I'll just keep working hard.

"The French league is tough and very physical, but I have no excuses - I'm here to give my best. My relationship with my manager, Pierre Sage, is good, as there's mutual respect between us."

At Gent, the 22-year-old set an extraordinary record in the UEFA Europa Conference League by scoring the fastest hat-trick in UEFA competition history. He accomplished this in just 3 minutes and 25 seconds against Istanbul Basaksehir on March 15th, 2023, surpassing Mohamed Salah’s previous record.

Can Lyon challenge for the Europa League?

Lyon had a rollercoaster season in 2023/24. They ended up sixth in the French top division and were runners-up in the Coupe de France, falling to Paris Saint-Germain, who went on to win the trophy.

This season, they are hoping to achieve better results, particularly with their involvement in the Europa League.

Orban can't predict how successful his club will be in the upcoming season, but he can promise improved performance across the board.

"Honestly, I can't predict how we'll perform this season, but what I can promise is that we'll work hard to build on last year's achievements," he continued.

"Personally, I won’t set a specific goal tally. Instead, I’ll do my best to deliver whenever I’m needed."

Lyon kick off their league campaign on August 18th with an away match at Roazhon Park, where they will face Julien Stephan’s Rennes.