Pjanic eyes another ´dream´ goal

The goal that Bosnian international Miralem Pjanic scored for Lyon against Real Madrid last season is still a huge talking point in France.

It was his away strike 15 minutes from time in last season’s UEFA Champions League round-of-16 second-leg tie that secured Lyon a famous 2-1 aggregate win.

Pjanic, who has scored for Lyon in their last two Ligue 1 games, is hoping to add to that left-footed strike 12 months ago on Thursday.

“People still talk to me about that goal a lot. It’s great,” Pjanic said.

“Because of Zizou (Zinedine Zidane), my favourite player, I always liked Real Madrid and dreamt of playing for them. So to score there…I will never forget that goal.”

With this season’s tie level at 1-1, Lyon need to beat Real in Spain on Thursday if they are to reach the quarter-finals.

Surprisingly, the 20-year-old attacking midfielder is not sure he will start.

Lyon coach Claude Puel is likely to revert to a 4-2-3-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Yoann Gourcuff may be recalled into the line of three behind the lone out-and-out striker – probably Bafe Gomis – placing Pjanic in doubt for a starting role.

Pjanic admitted that his inability to cement a place in the Lyon starting line-up on a more regular basis has become a source of great frustration.

“I can’t be entirely happy with the situation, but given time things will come together for me,” he said.

“I mustn’t give up, even if sometimes I do wonder what I have to do to win my place in the team.”

“Technically, I can compete with anyone, but physically and in terms of experience, I know that I must still improve.”

“I want to win titles with Lyon. I am not interested in leaving, I just want to be in the starting line-up,” he said.

Puel, who must make do without the suspended Michel Bastos in the Spanish capital, has been boosted with news that Aly Cissokho, Cris and Yoann Gourcuff have travelled to Madrid.

The trio missed Saturday’s 2-0 win at Sochaux.

Cris (tendonitis) and Gourcuff (toe) were both left out of that game with one eye on the Champions League, and they trained as normal on Sunday.

Cissokho has recovered well from a thigh injury and the former Porto full-back may start.