Uefa Women’s Champions League: Lyon v Arsenal
Venue: Groupama Stadium Date: Sunday, 27 April Kick-off: 17:00 BST
Coverage: Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app
Arsenal are down, but they’re definitely not out of their Women’s Champions League semi-final against eight-time winners Lyon.
The Gunners had more shots, more possession and more touches inside their opponent’s box in the first leg, but ultimately it was Lyon who left Emirates Stadium with a 2-1 lead.
Now, Renee Slegers’ side must overturn a deficit in France on Sunday if they are to reach their first Champions League final since 2007, the season in which they won the title.
They face a stiff task though, with Lyon unbeaten in the Champions League this season, having conceded just three goals in nine games. They have only been knocked out twice in 15 years after winning the first leg in the knockout stage and on those occasions it was to the now redundant away goals rule.
While Chelsea’s hopes of a first European trophy have been left hanging by a thread after their 4-1 first-leg defeat in Barcelona, there is belief Arsenal can still turn things around to ensure there is at least one English team in the final.
“This isn’t 4-1. It’s a completely different narrative, Arsenal are still in it. It’s a completely different conversation,” former Gunners defender Jen Beattie said.
But how exactly can Arsenal turn it around against a team that have reached the final of the Champions League 11 times in 15 years?
It wasn’t so long ago that Arsenal put five goals past Lyon on French soil.
Playing under Jonas Eidevall – before Slegers had joined as his assistant manager – the Gunners outclassed the reigning champions in the group stage in 2022.
Caitlin Foord, Frida Maanum and Beth Mead, who all started for Slegers on Saturday, were on the scoresheet.
But Arsenal lacked that ruthlessness against Lyon last Saturday, with Mead, Maanum, Foord and Alessia Russo missing multiple chances.
“Arsenal showed enough in this first leg to take confidence,” ex-England defender Anita Asante told the Football News Show.
“They really dominated the ball, they had control in the final third, created a number of chances and they just missed some of that cutting edge.”
Kadidiatou Diani beat Arsenal’s offside trap to get behind their defence and she made no mistake with a crisp finish for a 17th-minute opener.
And just as the hosts had pulled level through Mariona Caldentey’s spot-kick, Lyon split their backline open with Ada Hegerberg pulling Leah Williamson out of position to open up space for Melchie Dumornay, who darted into the box and lifted the ball over Manuela Zinsberger.
“Lyon under Joe Montemurro are not afraid to not have the ball. They get the goals they need, sit back and don’t seek to dominate necessarily,” Asante added.
“They’re a team that will play in transition and their players, especially in that front three, are all really dynamic and can play into space, carry the ball or threat in the box.
“I don’t think it suits Arsenal necessarily to play on the counter. They will probably assess the first 10-15 minutes of the game and adapt from there.”
Despite their first-leg defeat, Beattie does not expect Arsenal to play “very differently”.
“I think they got the press wrong once and Diani scored. I can’t think of many other times where Lyon played through from a goal kick,” she said.
“I think the Arsenal press was very, very good and if they do that again, they can go and get a result.”
Slegers said Arsenal must be wary of “a lot of threats”, but that her side have the ability to “expose” Lyon.
“We’re super humble for the task because they probably have the next level in them – but so do we,” she said.
Kadidiatou Diani v Katie McCabe
With a front three made up of Diani, Dumornay and Tabitha Chawinga, Lyon are never going to be easy to contain.
Arsenal’s full-back Katie McCabe, usually seen powering up and down the left flank, was more reserved when pitted against the rapid Diani in the first leg.
The winger found space by drifting infield between McCabe and Steph Catley and it was this movement that gifted Lyon the first goal, with Ellie Carpenter threading the ball through Arsenal’s defence to put Diani one-on-one with Zinsberger.
Post-match Lyon boss Montemurro said that was a key tactic they had identified to restrict McCabe’s impact.
“Of course, I respect Diani and the whole Lyon team because of what they’ve achieved, but also we know our qualities and our strengths, especially going forward,” McCabe said.
“And for me, that is one of my strengths, making forward runs and driving into spaces and delivering a ball into the box.”
Wendie Renard v Alessia Russo
One of the key questions for Slegers’ side before the second leg is whether Wendie Renard will be back in the starting XI to make her 500th appearance for Lyon.
The 6ft 2in defender – known for her aerial prowess – was on the bench on Saturday after recovering from a foot injury.
“Crosses in the box were really effective [and] I think that’s where Arsenal’s best chances came from, but if Renard is back it is a different game, different tactics,” Beattie said.
“[Arsenal will] have to play more passes in and around the box and break them down.”
Arsenal scored all three of their goals from crosses during their second-leg comeback against Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, but they failed to make any of their 25 crosses count in the first leg against Lyon.
Russo, the Gunners’ top scorer with 18 goals this season, will want to more involved and put herself in dangerous areas after having just four touches inside Lyon’s box.
Lindsey Heaps v Mariona Caldentey
Mariona Caldentey knows what it takes to win the Champions League.
The Spaniard won three European titles in four years with Barcelona before moving to Arsenal in July, and she’s carried that winning mentality into this season.
Having scored in Arsenal’s comeback against Real Madrid, Caldentey kept cool under the pressure to convert from the penalty spot against Lyon – her eighth goal involvement in this season’s Champions League.
But it’s not just her ability in attack that has helped Arsenal this term. The midfielder won more duels (nine) and tackles (three) than any other player in the first leg as she helped Arsenal dominate possession.
However, Caldentey is up against another serial winner in Lindsey Heaps – known as Lindsey Horan before switching to her married name – in the middle of the park..
Despite being forced to settle for less possession by Arsenal, Heaps illustrated her importance to the French giants by kickstarting the attack for Lyon’s second goal at the Emirates with a midfield-splitting pass to Hegerberg.
