We look to book our place in back-to-back UEFA Women’s Champions League finals with Saturday’s semi-final second leg away to Lyon.
Kick-off is at 2pm UK time (3pm local time) at Groupama Stadium, where we take a 2-1 aggregate lead following last weekend’s first leg.
We’re full of confidence following Wednesday’s 7-0 win at home to Leicester City, which kept us in the Barclays Women’s Super League title race.
A LOOK AT LYON
Since their defeat to us, Lyon were also in action on Wednesday night, drawing 1-1 away to Nantes. That wasn’t enough to trouble them in the Division 1 Feminine standings though, as they remain top of the league, which they’re unbeaten in, by 12 points over Paris FC.
Their unbeaten domestic record extends to the Coupe de France, which they’re in the final of, and the Coupe LFFP, which they won in March.
Prior to last weekend, Lyon’s only defeat of the season came in the Champions League. They finished the league phase second in the table, level on points with Barcelona, and came away from Meadow Park in Borehamwood with a 2-1 victory in October.
So it came as a surprise when the French champions suffered a 1-0 loss away to VfL Wolfsburg in the first leg of the quarter-finals, but Lyon responded in style with a 4-0 win at home in the second leg.
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY
Slegers: “It’s very simple, I think you can’t compare the two occasions. Everything is different this year, the scenario is different as well, last time we were 2-1 down, now we’re 2-1 up, so everything is different.
“We have to earn the right again from the very start, so I don’t compare the two occasions. Yes we’ve been to the city, yes I recognise this hall and the pitch, that will be there, but we have to start all over again tomorrow.” - Read every word of Renée’s pre-Lyon press conference.
Read more Every word of Renée's pre-Lyon press conference
Giraldez: "We've already beaten Arsenal [2-1 at Meadow Park on Matchday 1]. We want to have the possession and apply high pressure. The match dynamic will be different; we'll need to show personality at home.
"We haven't changed anything this week. The priority is to raise our level, to be attentive to our game plan and to find a better balance. [We need to] improve our attacking level and be superior to the opponent to qualify."
TEAM NEWS
We have no fresh injury concerns following Wednesday's 7-0 win over Leicester, but the good news is that Chloe Kelly is back in our squad.
For Lyon, Tabitha Chawinga and Ines Benyahia are not fit to play, but Bacha and Dumornay will be available after missing the first leg.
FACTS AND STATS
Lyon have lost three of their 10 Champions League matches against us (W6 D1), their joint most defeats against a single opponent, along with Wolfsburg.
We have won our last two Champions League away games against Lyon, 5-1 in the 2022/23 group stage and 4-1 in last season’s semi-final second leg; they represent the French side’s two biggest losses in the competition.
We are looking to become the first English side to reach the Champions League final in consecutive seasons. In fact, other than ourselves last season, the only other instances of English teams reaching the final are ourselves in 2006/07 and Chelsea in 2020/21.
Lyon have only conceded one set-piece goal in the Champions League this season – only Barcelona have conceded fewer (0). In fact, across the last 23 goals they have conceded in the competition, all three set piece goals have been scored by Arsenal – two in last season’s semi-final and one in the first leg of this tie.
Alessia Russo is the joint leading scorer in this season’s Champions League with eight goals, while she’s had the joint most shots (34) and most shots on target (18). She both scored and assisted in the semi-final away leg against Lyon in 2024/25.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Italian referee Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi has been appointed to take charge of Saturday’s semi-final second leg. She will be assisted by Stefania Genoveffa Signorelli and Veronica Martinelli.
VAR will be in use for this fixture.
Referee: Maria Sole Ferrieri CaputiAssistant Referees: Stefania Genoveffa Signorelli and Veronica MartinelliFourth Official: Silvia GasperottiVAR: Gianluca AurelianoAssistant VAR: Katalin Kulcsár
HOW TO WATCH
In the UK, this match will be shown live on BBC Two and Disney +. Elsewhere in the world, see which broadcasters are showing the game live.
Read more How to watch Lyon v Arsenal Women on TV
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