Lyon vs Manchester United facts

Lyon welcome 2017 winners Manchester United in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League quarter-final.

The French club, who lost to another English side, West Ham, at this stage three years ago, dispatched FCSB 7-1 on aggregate in the round of 16 and are aiming to reach the final four of the competition for the first time in eight years.

United, who are appearing in an English record 28th UEFA quarter-final, remain the only unbeaten side left in this year's Europa League, beating Real Sociedad 5-2 on aggregate in the last 16.

Previous meetings

Lyon wins 0
Manchester United wins 2
Draws 2
Lyon goals 4
Manchester United goals 6

2004/05 Champions League group stage
Lyon 2-2 Manchester United
Manchester United 2-1 Lyon
United came from two goals down on Matchday 1 in France thanks to two second-half goals from Ruud van Nistelrooy. The Dutch striker was again on target at Old Trafford, getting the winner after Gary Neville's opener had been cancelled out by Mahamadou Diarra.

2007/08 Champions League round of 16
Lyon 1-1 Manchester United
Manchester United 1-0 Lyon
Carlos Tévez cancelled out Karim Benzema's goal for the home side in Lyon before a Cristiano Ronaldo strike settled the tie at Old Trafford, United going on to lift the trophy.

Form guide

Lyon

Record vs English clubs: W7 D9 L7 F30 A29
Home record vs English clubs: W2 D7 L2

Lyon last faced a Premier League side at this stage of the 2021/22 Europa League, losing 1-4 on aggregate to West Ham (1-1 a, 0-3 h) in what was their third straight two-legged defeat against teams from England.

The French club have drawn seven of their last ten home matches against English visitors (W1 L2). Home and away they have suffered only one defeat in the last eight (W4 D3).

Lyon finished sixth in the league phase (W4 D3 L1) and faced FCSB in the round of 16, winning the first leg 3-1 in Bucharest thanks to two late goals from Malick Fofana. Two goals each from Georges Mikautadze and Ernest Nuamah in the return sealed a 7-1 aggregate victory.

This is OL's fifth UEFA Cup/Europa League quarter-final, equalling Marseille's French record. They have only progressed in one of their previous four, beating Beşiktaş on penalties after a 3-3 aggregate draw (2-1 h, 1-2 a) in 2016/17.

Lyon have lost only one of their ten Europa League matches this season (W6 D3) and are unbeaten in seven.

In their own stadium, Lyon have been defeated just three times in their last 28 European games, winning 14.

Rayan Cherki has eight assists in this season's Europa League, two more than any other player.

At the end of January Lyon parted ways with head coach Pierre Sage, replacing him with Paulo Fonseca.

Manchester United

Record vs French clubs: W16 D10 L4 F41 A22
Away record vs French clubs: W6 D7 L2

United last faced French opposition in the 2020/21 Champions League group stage, winning 2-1 at Paris Saint-Germain on Matchday 1 but losing 1-3 at Old Trafford on Matchday 5.

The Red Devils have won seven of their last eight two-legged ties against French teams, winning the last five since an away-goals defeat against Monaco in the 1997/98 Champions League quarter-finals. The only previous time they have met a team from France in the UEFA Cup/Europa League was in the 2016/17 round of 16, a 4-0 aggregate defeat of Saint-Étienne.

United have lost only four of their previous 30 UEFA competition matches against French teams, winning their last three away.

The English side finished third in the league phase with five wins and three defeats, making them the only team to remain unbeaten. That led them to a round of 16 tie against Real Sociedad, a 1-1 draw in Spain followed by a 4-1 home victory in which Bruno Fernandes scored a hat-trick.

This is United's 28th UEFA competition quarter-final tie, a new English record; they previously shared the mark with Liverpool. This is their sixth appearance in a UEFA Cup/Europa League quarter-final, their fifth in the Europa League era and their fourth in six seasons.

The Manchester club have won 13 of their last 14 two-legged ties in the Europa League, the exception a 2-5 aggregate quarter-final loss to eventual winners Sevilla two seasons ago.

United have lost just one of their last 21 Europa League matches (W14 D6) and are unbeaten in six European away games (W2 D4).

Fernandes has now scored 24 goals in the Europa League, more than any other Portuguese player.

United parted ways with manager Erik ten Hag at the end of October, replacing him with Ruben Amorim on a contract until June 2027.

Links and trivia

Lyon's Nemanja Matić played 189 games for United between 2017 and 2022, scoring four goals.

Matić also spent two spells with Chelsea between 2009 and 2010 and then again from 2014 to 2017, winning two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup.

Matić and Amorim were Benfica team-mates in 2011/12 and 2013/14.

Paulo Fonseca was Leny Yoro's coach at Lille between 2022 and 2024.

Have played together:
Nicolás Tagliafico & André Onana, Noussair Mazraoui, Lisandro Martínez, Matthijs de Ligt (Ajax 2018–22)
Corentin Tolisso & Joshua Zirkzee (Bayern München 2020/21)

Have also played in England:
Lucas Perri (Crystal Palace 2019)
Moussa Niakhaté (Nottingham Forest 2022–24)
Duje Ćaleta-Car (Southampton 2022/23)
Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal 2003–23, Ipswich 2015/16 loan, West Brom 2021 loan, Southampton 2022/23 loan)
Jordan Veretout (Aston Villa 2015/16)
Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal 2017/22)

Have played in France:
Leny Yoro (Lille 2017–24)
Manuel Ugarte (Paris Saint-Germain 2023/24)

International team-mates:
Abner & Casemiro (Brazil)
Nicolás Tagliafico, Thiago Almada & Lisandro Martínez (Argentina)
Paul Akouokou & Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast)
Rayan Cherki & Leny Yoro (France U23)