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As Alessia Russo prepares for another Champions League semi-final, there’s a trophy named after her that’s up for grabs.
Here’s Tom Garry’s preview.
Michele Kang rebranded the club from Lyon to OL Lyonnes last year and spent significantly last summer, adding star names such as the France striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Lily Yohannes, as well as hiring Giráldez, a Champions League-winning head coach. They are unbeaten in the French top division so their toughest challenge comes in Europe and, to a degree, it feels as if their season has been gearing up for Saturday’s showdown.
Arsenal are unchanged from the first leg. If it ain’t broke … Lyon make two tweaks, with Melchie Dumornay and Selma Bacha starting.
The teams
OL Lyonnes: Endler, Lawrence, Renard, Engen, Bacha, Heaps, Dumornay, Yohannes, Diani, Hegerberg, Brand
Subs: Belhadj, Marchal, Becho, Shrader, Katoto, Egurrola, Sombath, Svava, Tarciane, Rafalski, Ouazar, Olivier
Arsenal: Van Domselaar, Fox, Williamson, Wubben-Moy, McCabe, Russo, Little, Mariona, Foord, Blackstenius, Smith
Subs: Votikova, Borbe, Laia Codina, Maanum, Kelly, Pelova, Hinds, Holmberg, Dixon
Preamble
Wait a second … I’ve seen this one before. It finished 2-1 at the Emirates in the first leg of Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final with Lyon last year, too. That time round it was the French side who had the one-goal cushion heading into the second leg, but Renée Slegers’ team triumphed 4-1 at the Groupama Stadium before making history in Lisbon.
What now for the defending champions? They have the advantage this time after Olivia Smith’s winner last weekend, and a 7-0 midweek victory against Leicester added to the joy. But Lyonnes carry continental prestige, eight Champions League trophies in the cabinet, with Melchie Dumornay expected to return after missing out in the first leg. She’s already delivered against Arsenal this season. We get going at 2pm BST.
