Latest news with #TannerTessmann
New York Times
09-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How Lyon's successful relegation appeal impacts three USMNT players
For a pair of U.S. men's national team stars hoping to test themselves in European competition next season it is good news; for another, it means further uncertainty. Lyon ensured their place in Ligue 1 for the coming season, winning their appeal over relegation imposed upon them by the body that oversees the finances of French football teams. That means the club, where U.S. midfielder Tanner Tessmann plays and where U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner is reportedly headed to, will remain in the French top flight after all next season – and crucially take their place in the 2025-26 UEFA Europa League. Advertisement Back in the U.K., Lyon's reprieve could be potentially unsettling news for U.S. defender Chris Richards and his Crystal Palace teammates. Richards, who is fresh from a standout showing in the Concacaf Gold Cup – he also scored twice, including in the final vs. Mexico – must wait and see what level of European football his London club will now be allowed into next term. By virtue of winning the FA Cup, Palace should gain entry into the Europa League, but due to multi-club ownership rules for teams in the same competition, that may not be so straightforward. Lyon finished the 2024-25 Ligue 1 campaign in sixth, making the Europa League out of France alongside fifth-place Lille. Their qualification raised uncertainty over Palace's participation in the European competition, relating to U.S. investor John Textor's Eagle Football's involvement in both clubs, and Lyon's superior league placement giving them priority in participating. UEFA had postponed its decision on Palace's place in the Europa League until after the appeal on Lyon's relegation, and there has been no update yet from European football's governing body. If Palace are barred from the competition, then Nottingham Forest — who qualified for the UEFA Europa Conference League after finishing seventh in the Premier League and were ironically Turner's parent club while he was on loan and winning the FA Cup as a backup at Palace — would take their place. Palace, who say Textor has never had decisive influence on their operation (in an effort to maintain their spot in the Europa League alongside Lyon), would probably then drop into the Conference League, effectively swapping places with Forest. That outcome would mean Richards at the very least being able to play in UEFA's third-tier club knockout competition. The Birmingham, Ala., native could hope for as impressive a run in the Conference League as fellow Gold Cup participant Johnny Cardoso enjoyed last term. The U.S. midfielder helped Spanish club Real Betis reach the final in May, where they eventually lost 4-1 to Chelsea. Advertisement While Lyon's appeal win is an undisputed win for the French club, Turner is still waiting for official confirmation of his move from Nottingham Forest to the Groupama stadium. Last month The Athletic reported that the two clubs have agreed a fee of €8 million (£6.74m) for the 31-year-old, who made just four appearances while spending the season on loan with Palace. Turner was part of Mauricio Pochettino's squad at the Gold Cup but did not play a minute, with New York City FC's Matt Freese selected ahead of him throughout. Turner had started, and struggled, in the U.S.'s 4-0 friendly defeat to Switzerland prior to the tournament. On Tuesday, the veteran, who was first-choice under Pochettino's predecessor Gregg Berhalter and started at the 2022 World Cup, posted on Instagram that it had been a 'challenging' time. 'Sometimes you must hurt in order to know, fall in order to grow, and lose in order to gain,' he wrote. 'Challenging summer in so many ways, but I hold my head high knowing I was part of this special group. We learned, fought and grew together and had so many laughs along the way. 'I found joy in the in between. I'm re-energized and excited for what the future holds, but until then, I'm on DnD [do not disturb].' That future appears to be at Lyon, where he'll hope to regain first-team minutes and the appearances necessary to reclaim the U.S. No. 1 job. Lyon's future overall, at the very least, is looking up.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Roma add Tanner Tessmann to list of midfield reinforcements
Roma is in a hurry to sell. A transfer of at least 12-13 million is needed by June 30 to respect the limits of the Settlement Agreement with UEFA. Angelino is the hottest name on the way out, but only after having sorted out the balance sheet will the Giallorossi be able to actually start moving on the incoming market. Advertisement Among the profiles being explored to strengthen the midfield – especially after Paredes' departure – there is also Tanner Tessmann. The American born in 2001, currently playing for Olympique Lyon, has been included among the possible alternatives to Kessié and O'Riley. The French club, relegated to Ligue 2 and struggling with heavy debt (around 500 million euros), could let him go for a modest sum, around 6-7 million, writes La Gazzetta dello Sport. An opportunity to monitor, but everything will first pass through the exits.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Roma add Tanner Tessmann to list of midfield reinforcements
Roma is in a hurry to sell. A transfer of at least 12-13 million is needed by June 30 to respect the limits of the Settlement Agreement with UEFA. Angelino is the hottest name on the way out, but only after having sorted out the balance sheet will the Giallorossi be able to actually start moving on the incoming market. Advertisement Among the profiles being explored to strengthen the midfield – especially after Paredes' departure – there is also Tanner Tessmann. The American born in 2001, currently playing for Olympique Lyon, has been included among the possible alternatives to Kessié and O'Riley. The French club, relegated to Ligue 2 and struggling with heavy debt (around 500 million euros), could let him go for a modest sum, around 6-7 million, writes La Gazzetta dello Sport. An opportunity to monitor, but everything will first pass through the exits.
New York Times
21-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Tanner Tessmann: That Man Utd loss, Lyon's coach ban and fighting for a USMNT spot
Tanner Tessmann enjoys defying expectations. 'When I was at FC Dallas at the start of my career, everyone said, 'Yeah, he's good on the ball but has no idea how to defend'.' he says. 'So I went to the league that has the best defensive history and learned a lot from them and developed. 'I'm not perfect at all but I learned a lot about how a team defends while I was in Italy, and what they look for, how to maintain the score. Advertisement 'Then they said, 'The guy can defend and he's good on the ball but he's too slow and doesn't have the physical aspect'. So I moved to France to play where they're the best with duels and the best athletes in a fast-paced game. 'I try to develop the best I can. I make mistakes and I've got a lot to work on, but I want to be the best I can be.' At the weekend, Tessmann defied expectations again. Most people had written off his troubled club Lyon's hopes of qualifying for Europe, but they beat Angers 2-0 on the closing day, sneaking into sixth place in Ligue 1, earning a spot in next season's Conference League play-off round or, depending on the result of Saturday's Coupe de France final, a Europa League place. When he arrived at the Groupama Stadium, the 23-year-old had to contend with a bottleneck of quality — experienced midfielders blocking his way into the first team — but he started against Angers and made 34 appearances in all competitions in his first season at the club. This summer, Mauricio Pochettino could select him for the USMNT's busy schedule of high-profile friendlies and their Gold Cup campaign after Tessmann furthered his development in European competition this season. He appeared in nine of Lyon's 12 Europa League games, including their quarter-final second leg against Manchester United, when Lyon fought back with 10 men at Old Trafford only to be knocked out in extra time by United's even more remarkable turnaround, with the game ending 5-4. 'It leaves a bitter taste and leaves me wanting more and the team wanting more,' he says. 'Going down to 10 men was a challenge but we still scored a goal and we celebrated a little too early. Credit to them, they came back and believed and scored the goals. It was a crazy ending.' Lyon's players are getting used to football's capacity for tumult. There have been financial difficulties and, in March, head coach Paulo Fonseca got a nine-month ban after an angry head-to-head confrontation with a referee. It meant Fonseca was barred from the touchline and the officials' changing rooms before, during and after matches, and denied access to the players' changing rooms, pitch and tunnel. Advertisement For a squad trying to adapt to the new coach's methods, it was a challenge, but one they overcame regardless. Lyon won six of their 10 league games after the ban (which lasts in part until November). 'He coaches us all week and interacts with us all week and on the game day, he's in the hotel with us and gives us the team talk like always,' explains Tessmann. 'Then we go to the game and we're in the locker room and doing our thing. At half-time, we get on a video call with him and he speaks. The club has done a good job managing the situation. 'Obviously it's not the same as when he's on the sideline but in these big games with 50,000 fans, it's hard to hear anyone anyway. His presence is missed but doesn't change so much. 'In the home locker room at our stadium, we have TVs for the half-time call and at away grounds, we make whatever arrangement we can to make it work. Each is different. 'It just becomes normal. The first game was weird because we had just got a new coach and you change your warm-up routine to match how the new coach and his staff do everything, and then had to change again and get used to the new system. 'But it has gone well. If anything, it has just made guys step up more and be leaders at half-time and speak before the game. We have a lot of players who will do that, so it's good.' For Tessmann, the season has been a welcome learning curve. 'We have a lot of experienced players and loads to learn from, not just in my position,' he says. 'The midfield is loaded, so playing with those guys has been a pleasure and an honour. 'I've been very close with Nemanja Matic. He took me under his wing and we get along as friends and I learn a lot from him. Corentin Tolisso (a 30-year-old French midfielder who played for Bayern Munich) has a great mentality and the style and way he works have been good to learn from. 'Just watching him from a distance is impressive and gives me a lot to take away.' Training has been different from his previous team, Venezia, which he left last summer after helping them win promotion to Italy's Serie A. 'There is a lot more counter-attacking and transition in France,' he says. 'We simulate that during the week, while in Italy it's low- and mid-block defending, keeping the ball and how to move the right way. Advertisement 'I've improved my high-speed ball control and decisions. Moving to Italy was a big jump and then moving here was another big jump: from Serie B to a big club that fights in European competition. We're expected to win games, it's a different mentality.' Back in Italy, his friend, compatriot and former Venezia team-mate Gianluca Busio is embroiled in a relegation fight that will go to the last day of the season. Venezia face the daunting task of beating Weston McKennie and Tim Weah's Juventus (who are fighting for Champions League qualification) to have a chance of beating the drop. Other results must also go their way. Tessmann is defiant. 'They can do it,' he says of his former club. 'The whole year, everyone was doubting they could stay up, but they're still right there. Anything is possible. 'He (Busio) has done well. He's been playing more attacking, while it used to be me and him as a No 6 and No 8 (holding and central midfielder). It's not easy when you're down at the bottom as a No 10 (attacking midfielder). It's easier when you're a No 6 or No 8 because you can control the game more, but in the position he is, he's done well.' Tessmann's thoughts will switch to the USMNT now that the domestic campaign is over. He reflects on his upbeat summer in France last year, when he played for a young, impressive United States men's team that reached the quarter-finals of the Olympics. 'We actually stayed in Lyon before we played Guinea and spent four days here with my wife and family,' he says. 'I had no idea I'd come here at that stage, nothing was in the works. So when they approached me, I was very open.' Tessmann has won six caps for the USMNT senior side since the Olympics, experiencing the gamut of emotions in the Concacaf Nations League; from the quarter-final win against Jamaica to playing in both damaging defeats by Panama in the semi-final and Canada in the third-place play-off. The experience has left him even hungrier to feature for Pochettino's side more, a desire for repeat call-ups he admits can have differing effects in the run-up to next summer's World Cup. 'With the national team growing and players being more active in big European clubs, the competition to be called up is harder and harder. Advertisement 'So when you are, the mistake is to think you can just do the minimum to be there and not make mistakes or take risks. The thing you need to do is to get on the ball, make things happen and impose yourself and if that comes with my mistakes or bad passes, then it has to be OK. 'I would love to take part in the Gold Cup.' Off the field, Tessmann has recently become a father to a baby boy called Tennyson, and the joys of parenthood have come with a temporary curb on one of his hobbies. 'I have found some good golf courses around Lyon,' he says. 'Lyon has nice hills and woodland and you can design a course with a lot of different elements, but now I have a son, so I won't be playing as much unless he wants to caddy for me. We'll see.' If Tennyson has his father's appetite for fast learning, he could be carrying Tessmann Senior's clubs sooner rather than later.
