---
title: "Pierre Sage reaction: Crystal Palace fell below standards in Lyon defeat"
canonical: "https://readcrystalpalace.com/2026/10/16/pierre-sage-crystal-palace-lyon-reaction/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Shumail Sajid"
section: "Crystal Palace News"
published: "2026-10-16T06:32:26Z"
modified: "2026-10-16T06:32:27Z"
---

# Pierre Sage reaction: Crystal Palace fell below standards in Lyon defeat

**Crystal Palace were undone by Lyon in the Europa League return for Pierre Sage. Crystal Palace were beaten 3-2 on the night that left Pierre Sage frustrated with Palace’s performance.**

Pierre Sage said his side were well below their expected level during the first half of their Europa League clash.

[Crystal Palace](https://readcrystalpalace.com/tag/crystal-palace/) were a different side in the second half but the response was too late. Palace were a much improved side in the second half and made better chances yet Pierre Sage believes Crystal Palace paid the price for their slow start and allowing Palace to settle into the game.

## **Pierre Sage critical of Palace’s first-half display**

[Speaking to PalaceTV after the match](https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/first-team/sage-on-learning-lessons-after-palace-narrowly-edged-out-in-lyon/), Sage made it clear that the result was not his only concern. He was unhappy with the manner of Palace’s performance, particularly before half-time.

“At the end, we were frustrated by the result, but in the first half we have to be frustrated in the way we play,” said Sage.

“I think we didn’t play this first half. We are really far off our standards in the mental side of the play, in the tactical side of the play, because the players are too high between our lines and we really struggled a lot with that.

“When you give back the ball to your opponent, you suffer a lot and we were better in the second half. You cannot win this kind of game by playing only one half.”

The Frenchman had a bitter return to the club, where he was dismissed in January 2025 after 14 months in charge. The return proved a difficult one, with the Palace boss unable to take any points from his return to former territory.

## **Sage believes Palace deserved more after the break**

“It’s a very disappointing return because we lost. I can’t take satisfaction from coming back home or seeing familiar faces when the result isn’t there,” he said.

Sage felt the scoreline did not fully reflect the difference between the teams over the course of the match. He acknowledged that Palace improved significantly after half-time and gave themselves a chance, but Lyon’s third goal made the task harder.

“The scoreline may have been close, but there was a big difference in the way the two teams played.

“We improved considerably after the break and gave ourselves a chance but conceding that third goal made things difficult.

“I think our second-half efforts deserved an equaliser, although winning would have been a generous reward given that we only really played (to our level) for one half.”