Lyon are presently enjoying one of their best seasons in recent times as they hope to win what would be their first Ligue 1 title since 2008. That was the last they won during their highly successfully title winning streak in the noughties when they earned seven consecutive trophies between 2002 and 2008, and now Les Gones are just three points off top spot.
Although Rudi Garcia's men headed into the international hiatus winless in their last two games, including a 4-2 reversal to reigning champs PSG, they're still definitely in contention for the Ligue 1 title, provided they can get back on track quickly once the international hiatus ends this week.
Meanwhile, off the pitch, the ambitious club continue to make inroads in the business arena, as they recently announced they inked another interesting deal which will bring in more funds for them as they look to try to remain competitive in a league which is being more financially dominated by wealthier sides like PSG, and to some, extent, Monaco.
The latest deal is a short-term arrangement with e-commerce brand AliExpress, who will be featuring their logo on Lyon's kits. Specifically, fans will see the company's emblem on the left sleeve, which was already visible during Lyon's highly-anticipated top of the table clash with PSG in Ligue 1's last batch of games prior to the international break.
In addition to being featured as a sleeve sponsor, AliExpress also gets a tailored marketing package that includes a wide range of online marketing channels, including online ads, video marketing, and mobile marketing that will be displayed on Lyon's various social media outlets.
Although a short-term deal, there is the possibility for the two parties to extend this arrangement for a longer-term partnership, as Jean-Michel Aulas, Lyon's president, commented:
"This partnership with a global player in e-commerce confirms our brand strategy.
"We will learn a lot by aligning synergies and sharing our partner's expertise in many areas. We will also be experimenting with new ways of communicating to reach fan communities."
