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Olympique Lyonnais

Olympique Lyonnais president Jean-Michel Aulas has invested heavily in their women's team and they rewarded him by reaching the club's first European final.

Lyon celebrate reaching the final
Lyon celebrate reaching the final ©Sportsfile

Formed: 1970 (as FC Lyon)
Nickname: Les Fenottes (the girls)

UEFA Women's Cup best performance: 2007/08 & 2008/09 semi-finals

Domestic honours
• League title: 7 (1991*, 1993*, 1995*, 1998*, 2007, 2008, 2009)
• French Cup: 3 (2003*, 2004*, 2008)

*as FC Lyon

Round of 32: ŽFK Mašinac Niš 3-0** (a), 5-0 (h), agg: 8-0
Round of 16: Fortuna Hjørring 1-0 (a), 5-0 (h), agg: 6-0
Quarter-finals: ASD Torres Calcio
3-0 (h), 0-1 (a), agg: 3-1
Semi-finals: Umeå IK 3-2 (h), 0-0 (a), agg: 3-2

**forfeit

History
• FC Lyon were founded in 1970 and won four league titles and two French Cups before being taken over by the city's main club in 2004. Big games are played at Stade de Gerland.

• Olympique Lyonnais president Jean-Michel Aulas ensured the club enviable resources and in 2006/07 a team including French internationals Camille Abily, Sonia Bompastor and Sandrine Dusang alongside Brazilians Simone and Katia won the title.

• That meant a European debut in the former UEFA Women's Cup and Lyon equalled France's best performance by reaching the semi-finals, departing unbeaten on away goals against Umeå IK.

• They also completed the French double that season and in their second European campaign in 2008/09 again made the semi-finals, losing this time to FCR 2001 Duisburg, as well as retaining the league championship.

• While the likes of Paris Saint-Germain FC and Juvisy CFC ensured Lyon had more domestic competition in 2009/10, they thrived in the new UEFA Women's Champions League and beat Umeå 3-2 on aggregate to reach the final.

Key players
There is high quality throughout the squad including much of the France side: goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi, defenders Laura Georges, Sandrine Dusang and Corine Franco, playmaker Louisa Nécib and Elodie Thomis up front. They are combined with foreign talents like Swedish defender Amelie Rybeck, Costa Rica midfielder Shirley Cruz Trana and Norway forward Isabell Herlovsen, though fellow striker Lotta Schelin is expected to miss the final injured.

Coach: Farid Benstiti
Date of Birth:
16 January 1967
Nationality: French
Playing career: Olympique Lyonnais, Dijon FCO, AS Lyon-Duchère, KFC Avenir Lembeek, FC Sète, CS Saint-André, Gap FC
Coaching career: FC Lyon/Olympique Lyonnais women

Benstiti began his playing career at local club Lyon, leaving in 1989 after helping them to promotion. A midfielder, Benstiti continued to play until 2000, taking in several more French clubs are well as Lembeek in Belgium and also spent two years in Reunion with Saint-André.

In 2001 Benstiti was appointed coach of FC Lyon, winning two French Cups before their absorption by his former playing side. He continued at the helm and has overseen their rise to dominance at home, and prominence in Europe, reaching the first UEFA Women's Champions League final in 2010.