Zvezda think positive for Lyon trip

Olympique Lyonnais failed to win for the first time this season when held 0-0 at Zvezda-2005 in the first leg of their UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final last week but go into the Stade de Gerland return on Wednesday off the back of yet another huge victory.

Lyon struck ten without reply against relegation-threatened ESOF Vendée La Roche-sur-Yon on Sunday to stretch their French championship lead over Montpellier Hérault SC to nine points with five games left.

Sandrine Brétigny's hat-trick was added to by Eugénie Le Sommer, Camille Abily, Élodie Thomis, Sandrine Dusang, Sabrina Viguier, Louisa Nécib and Amandine Henry. Coach Patrice Lair – who had bemoaned "a lack of freshness in Russia" – could even afford to rest defender Wendie Renard and forwards Lara Dickenmann and Lotta Schelin.

That is ominous news for 2009 tournament runners-up Zvezda, who did well to hold on for a draw at home in Perm but have vowed to attack when they visit last year's beaten finalists. "Lyon showed their quality in the first match, dominating and creating lots of chances," coach Natalia Zinchenko told UEFA.com. "But we also failed to take our chances and the draw was a fair result.

"I think they will try to press us even more on Wednesday as they are at home," Zinchenko added. "But our aim is to win and we will attack. The chances still are even. We don't deny that our target is to win the tournament, but we want to go step by step. The next step should take us to the semi-finals."

The Russian club have a virtually full-strength side. "Netherlands defender Petra Hogewoning has been out with a knee injury since early March, all the others are ready to play," she said. "Eighteen players will fly to France and will do everything to qualify for the next round."